The Malone University men's basketball team suffered its first GLIAC (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) loss of the early season Saturday night, falling at home to Northern Michigan University by a final score of 68-65.
The Wildcats would start the first half going on a 9-0 run in the first five minutes. Junior
Brian Stone would make a lay-up at the 15:24 mark to get the first points on the board for the Pioneers. Northern Michigan would lead by as much as 13 points at the 4:48 mark of the first stanza, sinking a pair of free throws to make the score 31-18. Malone would claw back into the game during the last two and a half minutes, going on an 8-0 run to close out the first half. The score at the intermission was Northern Michigan 33, Malone 30.
Stephen O'Daniel III would start the second half by drilling a three pointer to tie the game at 33-33. It would go back-and-forth on lead changes for the first five minutes in the second half. However, the Wildcats would break away and go on a 10-0 run, increasing the lead to 50-40 with 11:51 left in regulation. Malone would creep back within two at the 6:37 mark when
Jalen Miller converted a successful three-point play, sinking his free throw after being fouled on a driving lay-up. Northern Michigan would go on another 8-0 run in the last four and a half minutes making it 65-55 with 1:18 left. Malone would not back down as they would get within six on a
Neil Gingerich basket with five seconds remaining. NMU would miss its final two free throws and Miller connected on a long three pointer at the buzzer to make the final deficit just three.
O'Daniel III and Stone had 11 points each to lead the Pioneers.
Mitch Spotleson added six points and a team-high eight rebounds. Gingerich finished with eight points and seven boards.
Nate Sheppard came off the bench to tally eight points.
The Pioneers now 3-3 (1-1 in the GLIAC) will head up to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to face GLIAC opponent Lake Superior State University on Thursday, December 11
th at 7:30 p.m.
