Box Score

The Malone University men's basketball team endured a tough 85-84 overtime loss at Notre Dame College on Saturday afternoon.  The hard-fought defeat dropped the Pioneers' overall record to 8-11 on the season.  The Falcons, meanwhile, snapped a seven-game losing streak with the one-point victory, improving to 5-11 overall. 

Notre Dame's 66-58 advantage with eight and half minutes remaining in the second half marked the largest lead for either team in a back-and-forth contest that featured 13 ties and 15 lead changes.  After a jumper by Malone forward Cory Veldhuizen and three-pointers by guards Isiah Elliott and Michael Shull knotted the score at 66-66, the Falcons regained the momentum, surging back in front 75-70.  Malone answered with a 7-0 run over the next two minutes, tying the game 75-75 on a three-pointer by guard Eric Coblentz and then pulling ahead on a pair of Veldhuizen free throws with 27 seconds remaining in regulation.  However, Falcon forward Troy Baugh responded for NDC, delivering a bucket with six ticks remaining in the second period to send the contest to overtime deadlocked at 77-77.

Malone hit just one of five field-goal attempts in the extra frame but still managed to cut the Falcon lead to 84-82 when Elliott connected on a pair of foul shots with 8.2 seconds showing on the overtime clock.  NDC pushed its advantage to three after splitting a pair of attempts from the charity stripe.  Leading 85-82, the hosts then fouled Elliott before the Pioneers could attempt a three-pointer on their next trip down the floor.  The sophomore made the first of his two free-throw attempts and then appeared to possibly try and miss the second free-throw attempt in order to allow for an offensive rebound and potential game-tying basket.  However, Elliott's second foul shot banked in off the backboard, trimming the deficit to 85-84.  Although the Falcons missed a pair of free throws following another Malone foul with 2.3 seconds to play, the Pioneers were unable to get off a desperation heave before the final buzzer sounded, allowing Notre Dame to hang on for the narrow victory.

Malone scored the first six points of the game and went to the locker room at intermission leading 40-39.  In addition to the eight-point and seven-point rallies that the Pioneers made late in the second half, the visitors also used a 10-0 run to fight back from a 50-43 deficit in the early stages of the second period.

On the afternoon, Notre Dame connected on 29 of 67 (43.3%) field-goal attempts, four of 13 (30.8%) three-pointers and 23 of 32 (71.9%) free throws.  Malone countered by making 25 of 62 (40.3%) attempts from the field, 10 of 21 (47.6%) treys, and 24 of 28 (85.7%) foul shots.  NDC held a 42-37 edge on the glass and also blocked nine Pioneer shot attempts.

Coblentz knocked down four three-pointers to pace four Pioneers in double figures with 18 points.  Forward Zach Bates followed with 16 points and five boards.  Elliott finished with 12 points, five rebounds and four assists.  Veldhuizen also posted 12 points while forward Che Richardson pulled down a team-high nine rebounds and handed out four assists.  Guard Kyle Lodermeier added nine points off the bench on three-for-three accuracy from beyond the three-point arc.

Forward Phil Biggs racked up 19 points, 17 rebounds and three blocked shots for Notre Dame.  Baugh added 14 points, 10 boards and six assists.

Malone will look to bounce back on Thursday when the squad travels to NCAA Division II Salem International (WV) University (4-15 overal) for a 7:30 p.m. contest.  Fans can follow all of Thursday's action on the Malone Sports Network (radio broadcast on WNPQ 95.9 FM and streaming live on the internet at www.thelight959.com).  Salem International will also provide live statistics: http://www.salemu.edu/stats/xlive.htm