Men’s Basketball Falls to (RV) Saint Francis in Hard-Fought Crossroads League Battle

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio. —  The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team (13-12, 5-10 CL) returned home for a Crossroads League matchup against the (RV) University of Saint Francis (16-9, 9-6 CL) on Wednesday, February 12 in Ariel Arena.

Saint Francis opened the game with a strong start, jumping out to a 10-2 lead over MVNU by the 17:00 mark. MVNU responded, narrowing the gap to 12-10 in favor of Saint Francis at 15:02. Saint Francis quickly extended its advantage to 19-13 at 13:02, but MVNU fought back to claim its first lead of the night, 20-19, at 11:16. The remainder of the half saw both teams exchanging runs in a tightly contested, physical battle. At halftime, MVNU held a slim 48-45 lead over Saint Francis.

The second half mirrored the intensity of the first as MVNU and Saint Francis continued their battle. At the 17:06 mark, MVNU held a narrow 52-49 advantage. The game remained tightly contested, reaching a 63-63 deadlock at 11:21 in a physical showdown. Saint Francis surged ahead by six points, leading 72-66 with 8:06 remaining. MVNU fought back to even the score at 74, and the game stayed neck-and-neck. With 1:27 left, MVNU tied it again at 78-78, but Saint Francis capitalized, taking the lead for good on a layup with 44 seconds left. MVNU was not able to tie the game within the final minute and would fall 78-82 in the end.

Inside the Box Score

MVNU shot 44.1% from the field and 41.2% (14-34) from three.

Saint Francis made 54.4% of its field goals and shot 47.4% (9-19) from three-point range.

Saint Francis controlled the boards with a 36-27 rebounding advantage and dominated inside scoring, outscoring MVNU 44-12 in the paint.

MVNU's bench dominated with a 21-5 scoring advantage, while the team capitalized on 14 turnovers, converting them into 17 points.

MVNU played clean basketball, finishing the game with 18 assists to 11 turnovers.

Bailey Conrad – 19 points (4-17 FG, 2-9 3PT, 9-11 FT), 4 blocks, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal.

Milton Gage – 18 points (6-9 FG, 4-5 3PT, 2-2 FT), 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal.

Trent Koning – 10 points (4-7 FG, 1-4 3PT, 1-2 FT), 3 rebounds, 1 steal.

Mason Harvey – 9 points (3-4 FG, 3-4 3PT), 1 rebound, 1 steal, 1 assist.

Peyton Heiss – 8 points (3-6 FG, 2-5 3PT), 6 rebounds, 3 assists.

Devin Dreier – 8 points (3-4 FG, 2-3 3PT), 1 rebound, 1 assist.

Coach Ronai's Thoughts

"Super proud of our guys. They played so hard and battled all night long and gave themselves opportunities. They are a tough group and will continue to get better the rest of the way."

What's Next

The men's basketball team is set to travel to Marion, Indiana, for a Crossroads League matchup against the Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats on Saturday, February 15, with tipoff at 3:00 p.m. in Luckey Arena.

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.