Men’s Basketball Falls in Crossroads League Opener at (RV) SAU

SPRING ARBOR, Mich. —  The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team (3-3, 0-1 CL) kicked off Crossroads League action on Wednesday, November 20, taking on (RV) Spring Arbor University (6-1, 1-0 CL) at the American 1 Credit Union Arena.

The game opened with a tightly contested battle, with neither team scoring a field goal until nearly four minutes in when SAU finally broke the deadlock. SAU then surged ahead with a 12-point run, extending its lead to 14-2 at the 11:42 mark. MVNU responded with a seven-point streak of its own, cutting the deficit to 14-9. By the 3:12 mark, MVNU had closed the gap to just two points, trailing 22-20. The first half concluded with SAU leading 32-27 after a last-second field goal for MVNU by Trent Koning.

MVNU opened the second half with a field goal at the 17:41 mark, cutting the deficit to just three points at 32-29. By 10:06, the score was 48-41 in favor of SAU. MVNU continued to battle, staying within reach despite several SAU leads. With just 53 seconds remaining, the gap was down to only four points. However, MVNU ultimately fell short, with the game ending in a 65-57 loss to SAU.

Inside the Box Score:

MVNU recorded a shooting performance of 40.4%, making 23 of 57 field goal attempts, and 17.9% from beyond the arc, hitting 5 of 28 three-pointers during the game.

Spring Arbor posted a 36.8% shooting performance from the field, making 21 of 57 attempts, and also connected on 36.8% of their three-point shots, hitting 6 of 19.

MVNU attempted 7 free throws, making 6, while SAU had a significant advantage, finishing 17-of-25 from the line.

SAU capitalized on MVNU's 20 turnovers, turning them into 12 points.

Koning – 19 points (7-15 FG, 3-9 3PT, 2-2 FT), 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 assist.

Bailey Conrad – 10 points (4-9 FG, 1-4 3PT, 2-2 FT), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal.

Peyton Heiss – 6 points (2-8 FG, 1-6 3PT, 1-1 FT), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals.

Carter Jones – 6 points (3-7 FG), 3 rebounds, 3 assists.

Milton Gage – 4 points (2-5 FG), 6 rebounds, 1 steal.

Coach Ronai's Thoughts:

"Spring Arbor is a terrific team and tough to handle at their place. I thought we guarded well enough on the road but didn't value possessions throughout the game to get over the top. We had multiple stints tonight with three freshmen on the floor and this group is learning valuable lessons on the fly. I'm excited for them to learn from tonight and grow tomorrow."

What's Next:

The men's basketball team is set to face the Taylor University Trojans in their next Crossroads League matchup, scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. tipoff on Saturday, November 23 in Upland, Indiana.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,100 students from 22 states and 21 foreign countries.