WESTMINSTER, MD – Cairn Men's Basketball hit the road to begin the 2025 portion of their schedule at McDaniel College, falling to the Green Terror 73-65.
 
Graduate guard Corey Baldwin (Henderson, NC / Averett) opened the game with a three, but McDaniel (10-1 / 1-0 CENTENNIAL) answered with a pair from behind the arc to go ahead by five. Graduate guard Jeff Williamson (Brooklyn, NY / SUNY Potsdam) made a deep shot with Baldwin adding another to swing the lead back for Cairn (6-5 / 3-0 UNITED EAST). The Green Terror held onto the lead for the next few minutes before senior guard Ashton West (Newport Beach, CA / Clarks Summit University) got to work and helped build the Highlanders a four-point lead. Graduate forward Josiah Hardy (Ashburn, VA / Hampden-Sydney) added a three with classmate Jaylon Simpson (Atlanta, GA / Belmont Abbey) making a pair from the free throw line to give Cairn a narrow 32-30 lead at the half.
 
Simpson got to the paint for a layup to open the second half with fifth year forward Isaiah Coleman (Fontana, CA / Clarks Summit University) also scoring a layup, making the lead three. Coleman and West scored again as McDaniel swung the momentum back their way, building up a lead with the clock on their side. Williamson added a three to cut the margin to four but the Green Terror responded in force, pushing ahead 62-52. Simpson would score the last twelve points, with two deep shots, for the Highlanders in their final push to try and overcome the deficit, but McDaniel would hold on to win 73-65.
 
Simpson led Cairn with 23 points, 12 of which came in the last 3:12 of the game, with four assists. West added twelve points on 50% shooting from the field and five rebounds. Hardy was also in double figures with 10 points, five rebounds, and two blocked shots.
 
The Highlanders will play at Penn State – Abington on Saturday before returning home January 8 to host Lancaster Bible at 7 p.m.