Cougars Drop Game Against No. 22 Wildcats

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio. —  The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team (10-7, 2-5 CL) hosted the No. 22 Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats (12-5, 2-5 CL) in Ariel Arena on Saturday, January 11, and fell in the end by a final score of 71-84.

IWU jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead at the start of the first half, but MVNU battled back to tie the game at 5-5 by the 16:35 mark. IWU responded with an 8-0 run, extending its lead to 13-5 at 13:50. MVNU kept fighting, mounting a run to close the gap. By 10:46, MVNU had cut the deficit to just two points, trailing 15-17. The remainder of the half saw both teams trading scoring runs, with IWU holding a 37-31 lead at halftime.

MVNU started the second half strong with a three-pointer by Bailey Conrad, cutting IWU's lead to three. However, IWU quickly countered with a big run, stretching its lead to 47–34 at the 17:31 mark. MVNU rallied with an offensive surge, narrowing the gap to just five points after a three-pointer by Trent Koning made it 53–48. MVNU had a hard time maintaining momentum despite its efforts and couldn't overcome IWU's lead. In the end, IWU secured an 84–71 victory.

Inside the Box Score

MVNU made 25 of 60 field goal attempts, shooting 41.7%, and converted 13 of 32 three-pointers (40.6%).

IWU hit 53.8% of its shots by converting 35 of 65 attempts and achieved a 38.9% rate from beyond the arc, sinking 7 of 18 three-point shots.

IWU outrebounded MVNU 41-32 and had 12 second-chance points.

The Wildcats dominated the paint, outscoring MVNU 48-18.

Bailey Conrad – 15 points (5-14 FG, 4-8 3PT, 1-5 FT), 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block.

Carter Jones – 15 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3 PT), 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 assists, 1 steal.

Trent Koning – 11 points (2-14 FG, 1-6 3PT, 6-7 FT), 5 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 assists.

Peyton Heiss – 10 points (4-6 FG, 2-3 3PT), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal.

Milton Gage – 9 points (4-7 FG, 1-4 3PT), 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal.

Coach Ronai's Thoughts

"Our guys fought hard and we had our chances but it wasn't our best today. We will own it and grow from today. This young group is resilient and we're already looking forward to getting better on Monday."

What's Next

MVNU men's basketball will be back in action on Wednesday, January 15 against the Marian University Knights in Ariel Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. 

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 33 states and 26 foreign countries.