Box Score

With an incredible 71-game home winning streak on the line and a 105-game regular-season home string since the 2003-04 season, the NCAA Division II #7 University of Findlay Oilers hosted the Malone University men's basketball team on Tuesday night and the capacity Croy Gymnasium crowd saw something they hadn't seen in over four years – namely an Oiler defeat. 

The Pioneers stunned Findlay 74-71 to hand the Oilers their first loss at home since March 11, 2007, a 60-56 playoff defeat to Northern Kentucky University. The loss was also Findlay's first regular-season home loss since a 70-68 setback to Gannon University on February 12, 2004. In addition, heading into the contest, the Oilers were a staggering 139-2 overall at home over the past eight years.

Malone opened up with a quick 5-0 lead before Findlay responded with 10 straight points of its own.  Another run for the Pioneers, this one being a 7-0 burst, put Malone back on top 12-10, at which point the game leveled off with neither team leading by more than four points for the remainder of the first half.  Malone took a 34-30 lead into halftime.

Then, in the second half, with Malone leading 42-41 with 15:10 remaining, the Pioneers went on a 10-0 run to grab their largest lead of the game at 52-41. The Oilers fought back, though, over the next seven and a half minutes outscoring Malone 17-4 to take a 58-56 lead with 7:48 left.  The lead continued to change hands down the stretch with the Oilers holding their final lead at 71-69 at which point Eric Coblentz drilled a three-point basket with 33 seconds left to give Malone a 72-71 lead.  Findlay then missed its final shot attempt, a 10-footer with three seconds left, before fouling Coblentz who proceeded to convert both free throw attempts to give Malone the 74-71 victory.

Coblentz blazed the nets for a game-high 27 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the field and an impressive 7-for-9 effort from three-point range.  He also sank four of four  from the line and pocketed six rebounds and four assists. Cory Veldhuizen was also eight of 12 from the floor as he collected 18 points and a team-best nine rebounds, tied with Bradson Ephraim who also grabbed nine boards.  Che Richardson also hit twin-figure scoring with 14 points while Isiah Elliott tallied seven points, three rebounds and four assists.

For the game, Malone hit 53.7% (29-54) of its field goal attempts while Findlay made 40.3% (25-62).  The Pioneers drilled 50% (9-18) from three-point range while the Oilers sank six of 20 for 30.0%. At the free throw line, Findlay held the edge, converting 15 of 20 for 75% while Malone made seven of 13 for 53.8%. In addition, the Pioneers held a solid 38-32 advantage on the boards.

With the win, Malone improved to 2-0 on the young season while Findlay dropped to 1-1.  Malone is back in action at Lake Erie College (1-1) on Saturday for a 3:00 p.m. contest.