WAVERLY, Iowa – Men's basketball is ready to get the 2024-25 season underway on Saturday, Nov. 9 on the road against Macalester College at 2 p.m. in St. Paul, Minn.
 
Last Season
The Knights finished the 2023-24 season with an overall record of 3-22 and a 2-14 mark in American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) play. Wartburg's A-R-C wins came against Luther College and Simpson College and nine of the Knights' losses from a season ago were within 10 points. The Knights played five teams who were receiving votes or ranked in the top 25 last season.
 
Marshun Williams returns for the Knights after earning All-Conference honors in 2023-24. The senior averaged 14.6 points per game, which led the Knights and ranked 11^th overall among all A-R-C scorers. His efficient shooting clip of 53.3% from the field last season ranked 6^th in the A-R-C. Williams is currently 44 points away from becoming the 36^th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points.
 
 
The A-R-C was a nationally competitive conference a season ago as four teams made NCAA Tournament appearances, and three teams won at least one NCAA Tournament game. Nebraska Wesleyan is ranked No. 14 in the D3hoops.com national preseason poll after reaching the Sweet 16 a season ago. Both Loras and Coe are receiving votes as well.
 
2024-25 Outlook
Sam Leal enters his first year at the helm of the men's program at Wartburg after spending the previous four seasons at the University of Maine at Farmington. "I have loved the Midwest culture so far," said Leal about his transition to living in Iowa. "Wartburg College is a special place with a special community with some really good people."


 
"We need to have great and consistent defensive effort to win and stay in games," said Leal when asked about what style of basketball the Knights plan to play. "Once we work together to get to 95-98 percent of the time always locked in, always a man on a body, always in position and always communicating the defensive side of the ball will give us a chance to win each game."
 
"Offensively we have some great shooting," continued Leal about the offensive side of the ball. "A balanced approach of shot selection from three as well as really good interior scoring from Marshun Williams and Gabe Trujillo."
 
"It's going to be very competitive," said Leal about the A-R-C this season after four teams made NCAA Tournament appearances a season ago. "One thing I feel we have an advantage on is that we graduated a lot less players then other teams."
 
Williams is currently 44 points away from becoming the 36^th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points.
 
The Knights' home opener is Friday, Nov. 15 as they host the Buzz Levick Tournament with an opening game against St. Olaf College. Wartburg will begin A-R-C play on the road Tuesday, Nov. 26 against Luther College.