Men's Basketball Grabs First Crossroads League Win Over Goshen

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio. —  The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team (5-4, 1-2 CL) hosted the Goshen Maple Leafs (3-6, 0-3 CL) in a Crossroads League matchup on Wednesday, December 4, in Ariel Arena.

The MVNU Cougars seized the lead at the 18:33 mark of the first half and never relinquished it, cruising past Goshen. MVNU dominated the opening half, outscoring the Maple Leafs 41-30 by halftime.

The Cougars' offense showed no signs of slowing down in the second half, putting up 49 points compared to Goshen's 39. This strong performance allowed MVNU to take full control of the game and earn its first Crossroads League win of the season in commanding fashion, with a final score of 90-69.

Inside the Box Score:

MVNU delivered an impressive shooting display, connecting on 53.8% of its field goal attempts and 45.8% of its three-pointers (11-24)

Goshen recorded a 38.7% shooting accuracy from the field while shooting just 26.9% from beyond the arc (7-26).

MVNU's superior passing ability led to 19 assists, outpacing Goshen's 7 and driving its offensive success.

MVNU dominated the paint, outscoring Goshen 46-26 in points inside the key.

Bailey Conrad – 21 points (8-19 FG, 2-5 3PT, 3-4 FT), 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks.

Trent Koning – 18 points (6-12 FG, 5-8 3PT, 1-1 FT), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal.

Peyton Heiss – 15 points (6-10 FG, 1-4 3PT, 2-3 FT), 7 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists, 1 block.

Milton Gage – 11 points (4-4 FG, 1-1 3PT, 2-3 FT), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal.

Coach Ronai's Thoughts:

"Thought our guys did a lot of good on both ends of the floor tonight. Goshen is a much improved team and they have a lot of team speed and quickness on the floor that can create problems. We have to rebound it better and clean up some areas offensively. Looking forward to getting better tomorrow."

What's Next:

The men's basketball team is set to take on the Huntington University Foresters in their upcoming Crossroads League matchup, with tipoff scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 7, in Huntington, 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.