KOKOMO, Ind. – WVU Tech men's basketball battled No. 1 seed Indiana University Kokomo down to the final possessions Wednesday night before falling 76-71 in the opening round of the River States Conference Championship inside the Student Activities and Events Center.

The Golden Bears conclude the 2025-26 season at 11-16 overall after an 8-8 conference campaign that earned a postseason berth and a road matchup with the league's top seed.

IU Kokomo built a 41-26 halftime advantage, but WVU Tech responded with a strong second-half surge, outscoring the Cougars 45-35 over the final 20 minutes. The Golden Bears briefly grabbed a 61-60 lead with 7:01 remaining following a pair of free throws by Brandon Moore, showcasing their resilience in a hostile environment.

Kokomo answered with timely baskets and free throws in the closing minutes to regain control, but Tech continued to fight. Trayten Woods knocked down a go-ahead three-pointer with 2:47 left to give the Golden Bears a 65-64 edge, setting up a tense finish.

Ultimately, IU Kokomo converted key opportunities down the stretch to secure the five-point decision.

Golden Bear Highlights
Ian Goings led WVU Tech with 23 points on 7-of-17 shooting, including 2-of-3 from three-point range, and went 7-of-9 at the free-throw line. He added 10 rebounds for a double-double while recording three steals.

Brandon Moore followed with 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting, knocking down two three-pointers and converting both of his free-throw attempts.

Cole Chapman provided a spark off the bench with nine points and eight rebounds, while Jackson Tackett added four points and three assists in the starting lineup.

As a team, the Golden Bears finished with 42 rebounds and 12 assists while generating 13 second-chance points and 30 points in the paint.

Team Totals
WVU Tech shot 26-of-72 from the field and 8-of-28 from three-point range. The Golden Bears converted 11-of-16 at the free-throw line and limited Kokomo to 33.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Season Wrap-Up
The Golden Bears averaged 76.4 points per game this season and ranked first in the River States Conference in assists per contest at 15.9 per game. Tech shot 46.7 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from three-point range across 27 games, finishing .500 in conference play and earning a postseason appearance.