Men’s Basketball Dominates Maple Leafs in Commanding Victory

GOSHEN, Ind. —  The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team (13-9, 5-7 CL) hit the road on Saturday, February 1, for a Crossroads League matchup against the Goshen College Maple Leafs (5-17, 0-12 CL).

In the first half, both teams remained evenly matched early on, with MVNU and Goshen tied at 25 at the 7:29 mark. However, MVNU surged ahead with a dominant offensive run, taking a 40-27 lead with 2:44 left in the half. By halftime, MVNU held a 45-35 advantage over Goshen.

The Cougars dominated the second half, extending their lead to 72-55 at the 10:29 mark. MVNU maintained relentless defensive pressure and offensive power the rest of the way to secure the victory. The final score saw MVNU prevail by a final of 101-73, and it is the third time this season that MVNU has surpassed 100 points in a game.

Inside the Box Score

MVNU shot 55.4% from the field (36-65) and hit 45.5% of its three-point attempts (10-22).

Goshen shot 46.4% from the field (26-56) and hit 31.0% (9-29) of its threes.

MVNU capitalized on turnovers, scoring 33 points off Goshen's 17 giveaways. The Cougars recorded 15 steals and dominated the paint, outscoring the Leafs 46-24.

The Cougars outrebounded Goshen 38-26 and scored 16 points off its 10 offensive boards.

MVNU dished out 15 assists while only committing 7 turnovers.

Bailey Conrad – Career-high 34 points (10-16 FG, 4-6 3PT, 10-10 FT), 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 rebound.

Trent Koning – 17 points (7-12 FG, 2-4 3PT, 1-1 FT), 4 rebounds, 4 steals.

Peyton Heiss – 13 points (4-6 FG, 1-2 3PT, 4-4 FT), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals.

Isaiah Brown – 8 points (4-7 FG), 2 steals, 1 rebound.

Coach Ronai's Thoughts

"We got out to a slow start today but eventually settled in defensively. Our guys did a great job locking into defensive keys that allowed us to get loose in transition. The ball touched the box often which allowed us to get into power plays. Looking forward to getting better next week."

What's Next

The men's basketball team is set to face the No.19 Huntington University Foresters in  Crossroads League action in Ariel Arena on Wednesday, February 5. The game will tip off at 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.