The Malone University men's basketball team fell behind early but never quit during Saturday's non-conference game at Bluefield State College, storming all the way back from an early 38-19 first-half deficit to record a 70-67 victory.

The Pioneers took their first lead of the night with two minutes remaining in the contest when junior guard Ty Jordan converted on an old-fashioned three-point play.  After being fouled on a driving lay-up, Jordan stepped to line and sank his free throw to put Malone on top 68-67.  Neither team would score on a shot from the floor over the remainder of the game as Jordan and sophomore guard Kamron Carroll each split a pair of free throws in the final moments to secure the three-point victory.

Malone turned up the defensive intensity down the stretch on Saturday, closing the contest on a 9-0 run after holding Bluefield State scoreless over the final six minutes of play.

After their lengthy bus ride to Bluefield, located in the southern portion of West Virginia, the Pioneers struggled to get on track in the early stages of the game.  The Big Blues charged out to an 11-1 advantage.  Malone trimmed the deficit to two before an over five-minute scoring drought allowed the hosts to stretch their lead out to 30-13. 

A lay-up by forward Djuro Pantos finally brought Malone's scoreless streak to an end, but Bluefield kept charging, ballooning their advantage to 38-19 with a little less than four minutes to go in the opening period.

From that point on, Malone began to slowly chisel away at the mountain-sized deficit.  A three-pointer by Jordan, a lay-up by forward Mitchell Spotleson and a bucket by guard Daylan Haynie allowed the Pioneers to close out to first half on a 7-0 run and head to the locker room down by just nine at 41-32.

Bluefield once again charged out of the starting blocks at the beginning of the second stanza, pushing their lead to 47-33 two and a half minutes into the final period.  However, Malone remained resilient, grinding its way back to within two at 55-53 with 11 minutes to play. 

The two teams would trade buckets over the next few possessions before the Big Blues notched what would turn out to be their final points of the night on a three-pointer by Josh Windham with 6:24 showing on the clock. 

Down 67-61, Spotleson cut the margin to four with a made jumper on Malone's next trip down the floor.  Following a missed three-pointer by Bluefield State, Jordan drained a jumper of his own to pull the Pioneers to within two at 67-65.

Neither team would score again over the next three minutes until Jordan put Malone on top for good with his strong drive to the hoop and subsequent trip to the foul line.

Tough defense resulted in both teams coming up empty on their next few possessions before Carroll and Jordan each split two free throws in the final minute.  Bluefield would get off a shot at the buzzer, but the game-tying attempt was off the mark, sealing the hard-fought, comeback victory for the Pioneers.
 
Game Highlights
-Malone held a 40-29 edge in total rebounds which marked its largest rebounding advantage of the season
-Bluefield drained 10 of 22 (45.5%) three-pointers while Malone converted on six of its 21 (28.6%) attempts from long range
-The Pioneers prevailed despite their struggles at the foul line.  Malone attempted 23 free throws on the night but made only 12 (52.2%).  Bluefleid, meanwhile, went to the foul line just five times, sinking all five.
 
Malone Individual Highlights
-Jordan scored 14 of his team-high 23 points in the second half.  The junior also handed out six assists and grabbed four rebounds
-Guard Nate Sheppard came off the bench to notch 13 points, seven rebounds and two assists
-Spotleson added 10 points and eight rebounds
 
Bluefield Individual Highlights
-Windham tossed in 23 points with four rebounds, two assists and two steals
-Guard Marcus Robinson also reached double figures with 12 points, seven assists and four boards
 
Up Next:
Malone returns home on Wednesday for a 7:00 p.m. contest against Wilberforce University.