CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University men's basketball team won their second consecutive game with a 100-67 victory over Ohio Valley University. The win marks their first Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) triumph of the 2020-21 season.
 
Malone moves to 2-4 overall this season and 1-4 in conference play, while Ohio Valley drops to 1-6 on the season and in the G-MAC.
 
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED:
The Pioneers jumped out to an 11-2 lead over the Fighting Scots in the opening minutes, leading to a timeout called by head coach Mike Snell. Senior guard Bryce Butler had six points right out of the gate for Malone.
 
The combo of Bo Myers and Butler kept a comfortable margin between the teams in the middle stages of the first period. A three-ball from sharpshooter Jaret Majestic started a 7-0 run to extend the lead to 25-12 with 13 minutes remaining in the first. A make from behind the arc for Butler gave the Pioneers their largest lead of the half at 40-19 with 5:52 left.
 
A dropstep dunk from Marcus Ernst on the feed from Majestic staved off a 7-0 run for the Fighting Scots and the teams went into the locker room with the score 44-33 in favor of Malone. Bo Myers led the way in scoring with 16 points and Bryce Butler followed closely behind with 13. Myers was 6-of-8 from the field in the opening stanza and Butler 6-for-10, including connecting on his first four shots in the game.
 
In the second half, the three-point shooting ability of Majestic was on display in full force. He knocked down one of his five second half trifectas with 16:15 to go as the Pioneer offense was in rhythm. Myers, Ernst, Butler and Justin Miller each got shots to fall in the first five minutes of half number two.
 
Majestic buried another three to give Malone their first lead of more than 20 points in the game at 60-39 with 14:07 left.
 
The three-headed scoring threat of Keon Claiborne, Cameron Shaw and Parker Black would not go away quietly, however, and fought to cut the lead down to as little as 11. The Pioneer offense was just too much on this day though, sparked by back-to-back three-point jumpers from Levi Seiler and Bryce Butler at the 10-minute mark.
 
With 8:47 to go in the contest, the Pioneers scored on 11 consecutive possessions to put the game out of reach. In the five minute scoring spurt, Malone outscored Ohio Valley 27-10 and hopped out to a 30-point advantage. Majestic scored 10 straight points with three three-point tries and an and-one after getting bumped on a closeout.
 
All 10 players scored for the Pioneers when the dust settled as Malone pulled away to a 100-67 victory. Bo Myers (24), Bryce Butler (23) and Jaret Majestic (21) each reached the 20-point plateau. Zeke Yost scored his first career points with a driving layup late in the game.
 
Although the offense was clicking, the Pioneer defense might have been the most impressive aspect of the contest. Malone held Ohio Valley to just 30.8% from the field (20-for-65) and 25.0% in the first half. The Fighting Scots were 6-for-21 from long range.
 
PIONEER POINTS:

• Malone shot 20-of-30 in the second half from the field (66.7%) and 38-for-68 in the game (55.9%). The Pioneers knocked down 11 shots from downtown.
• The two teams combined to make 34-of-35 shots from the free throw line, taking full advantage of the free points at the charity stripe.
• Justin Miller finished the game with eight points, a team-high 10 rebounds and a career-best five assists.
• Bryce Butler scored 10 field goals in the game to achieve his 23 points to go with six rebounds and five assists.
• Malone led wire-to-wire and outscored Ohio Valley in the paint 48-24.

 
UP NEXT:
Currently on the schedule, Malone is off until next Thursday, when the Pioneers host Kentucky Wesleyan on Thursday, January 28 at 8 pm.