Box Score

The Malone University men's basketball team hung tough with the GLIAC South Division-leading University of Findlay Oilers on Saturday but couldn't make enough plays down the stretch, eventually falling 74-62.

Junior Isiah Elliott once again paced Malone (10-7 overall, 8-6 overall) with 21 points followed by senior Zach Bates' 12 points and Vince Kazmierczak's 11.

Elliott and Bates scored 10 points apiece in the first half to keep the Pioneers within striking distance, trailing 32-29 at intermission.

The Pioneers received a spark off the bench in the second half from freshman Stephen O'Daniel III, who scored a career-high seven points, all in the second half. O'Daniel's three-pointer with 7:00 minutes to play cut the lead to three points at 57-54, prompting a Findlay timeout. However, the Oilers (13-5 overall, 10-4 GLIAC) would score on their next four possessions, including a pair of three-pointers, to push the lead to nine. Malone would not get within seven the rest of the way.

Malone was very efficient from the field shooting 27-52 (52%) but not as deadly from behind the arc at a 6-20 (30%) clip. Findlay finished 23-54 (43%) and 7-23 (30%) from deep. Perhaps the deciding factor in the game was the difference at the free-throw line. The Oilers got to the line for 27 attempts, and connected on 21 (78%), while Malone hit just two of nine (22%) from the charity stripe. Another deciding factor was Findlay's ability to turn Malone over, scoring 17 points off of 16 Malone giveaways.

Malone returns home on Wednesday, Jan. 30th at 7:30 p.m.to make up a game against Penn State University-Greater Allegheny, which was originally scheduled to be played in late December. You can follow the live stats at http://livestats.prestosports.com/malone/.