Balanced Scoring Leads to Road Win at Marian

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team (13-10, 5-8 CL) picked up a Crossroads League win on the road at Marian University (5-18, 2-11 CL) on Wednesday, February 4. 

MVNU started strong, opening the game on a 6-1 run. Marian found some rhythm on offense and battled back. MVNU lead 19-13 with 7:59 remaining in the first, but a 13-2 run by the Knights gave them a 26-21 advantage. MVNU closed the half on a high note, closing the final 3:57 with a 10-2 run to take a 31-28 lead into the break. With 16:18 left in the second half, Marian took a 37-35 lead. On the next possession for MVNU, Trent Koning hit a three that gave MVNU the lead for the remainder of the game. The Cougars continued to stretch the lead, and back-to-back threes from Abib Abib pushed MVNU's lead to nine at 51-42 with 11:30 left. With 9:16 left, MVNU pushed its lead to its largest of the game at 15 points, making the score 59-44 after an Abib layup. The Cougars would go on to win by a final score of 73-64, snapping their four-game losing streak. 

MVNU shot 45.2% from the floor and hit 43.8% (7-16) of its threes on the night. MVNU had six Cougars score in double figures. Reed Platfoot had 13 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Peyton Heiss had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Koning had 12 points and four assists, while Devin Dreier also had 12 points. Kieran Granville had 11 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks. Abib scored 10 points.

Coach Ronai's Thoughts 

"Really proud of our guys. Marian played extremely hard and they are always tough at home. The circumstances of the game made them even more dangerous. I felt our guys grew up a lot down the stretch and were poised in many moments. Looking forward to getting better tomorrow." 

What's Next 

MVNU hosts No. 1 Grace College on Saturday, February 7 in Ariel Arena. Tip-off is set for 3:00 p.m. 

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, 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 2,200 students from 36 states, 1 U.S. commonwealth and 41 foreign countries.