Men’s Basketball Fights Hard in Narrow Loss to No. 7 Pilots

MISHAWAKA, Ind. —  The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team (13-11, 5-9 CL) faced the No. 7 Bethel University Pilots (19-5, 12-2 CL) in Crossroads League action on Saturday, February 8, at Gates Gymnasium.

Bethel came out strong with a 6-0 run to start the game, but MVNU responded, evening the score at 11-11 with 11:36 left in the half. The remainder of the first half saw both teams exchanging baskets and swapping the lead. At halftime, Bethel held a narrow 31-29 advantage over MVNU.

The teams continued exchanging baskets to open the second half, with Bethel holding a lead that peaked at five points. MVNU pulled even at 46-46 with 12:38 remaining, thanks to a three-pointer from Bailey Conrad. Bethel extended its lead to seven at 60-53 with 6:12 left, but MVNU kept battling. With 2:47 remaining, Bethel held a narrow 65-64 advantage. Despite a relentless effort, MVNU came up just short. MVNU had a chance to tie the game with six seconds remaining but could not even up the score as time expired in the 69-72 loss.

Inside the Box Score

MVNU shot 45.0% from the field and 29.2% (7-24) from three.

Bethel hit 45.5% of its shots and hit five threes at a 31.3% rate.

MVNU scored 32 points in the paint, surpassing Bethel's 28, while converting eight offensive rebounds into 10 second-chance points.

The Cougars got solid bench production, finishing with 20 points from its unit.

Conrad – 20 points (8-16 FG, 3-6 3PT, 1-1 FT), 6 rebounds, 6 assists.

Isaiah Brown – 13 points (6-9 FG, 1-2 3PT), 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block.

Milton Gage – 11 points (3-7 FG, 5-6 FT), 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals.

Coach Ronai's Thoughts

"That was a tremendous college basketball game. Our guys battled for 40 minutes and did a lot of things really well on both ends of the floor. Our young guys found a lot of growth today and we are looking forward to getting better next week."

What's Next

The men's basketball team returns home for a Crossroads League matchup against the University of Saint Francis on Wednesday, February 12, at Ariel Arena, with tip-off 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.