OWENSBORO, Kentucky – The Malone University men's basketball team fell short of a victory today on the road at Kentucky Wesleyan by a score of 82-71. The Pioneers had a lead in the second half, but the Panthers were able to pull away late using a 15-1 run that started with six minutes to go.
 
Malone drops to 0-2 this season, both games being Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) contests. Kentucky Wesleyan is now 3-2 overall, and 2-2 in G-MAC play.
 
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The opening minutes of the game were fast and furious, as the teams combined for 19 points before the first media timeout, and the Pioneers took a slight lead, 10-9.
 
In the middle stages of the first half, newcomers to the Malone men's basketball program were able to shine offensively. Brian Read and Simon Blair each made their first field goals as Pioneers in the half, Read on an offensive rebound with 14:08 left, and Blair with a three-point jumper with 11:22 remaining. Blair would go on to lead Malone in a balanced scoring first half with seven points.
 
After being down as many as five, Jaret Majestic tied the game up with four minutes to go in the opening period with a long-range three-point shot. Moments later, a flashy behind-the-back pass from Justin Miller led to a Bryce Butler fastbreak lay-up to give Malone a 31-29 lead. The teams went into the locker room with the Pioneers leading 38-35.
 
A quick 6-2 Pioneer scoring spurt gave Malone their biggest lead of the game at 44-37 two minutes into the second half. It was at that point that Tre Cobbs of Kentucky Wesleyan decided to put the team on his back and propel the offense for the Panthers. Cobbs went on a 9-0 scoring run by himself, scoring on four consecutive possessions.
 
A three-point make from Bo Myers was the answer Malone was looking for to survive the onslaught, and at the midway point in the half, Malone took a 57-55 lead.
 
Marcus Ernst made a lay-up with 7:08 remaining to give the Pioneers a 63-59 advantage, but the offense went into a drought at the worst possible time. With six minutes left, the Panthers went on a 15-1 run and it was too much for Malone to overcome. Kentucky Wesleyan polished off an 82-71 victory by going 7-for-8 from the free throw line in the final minutes.
 
Tre Cobbs, a new transfer to the Panther lineup, was the game's high scorer with 30 points on an efficient 13-of-18 from the field. Off the bench, Jamil Wilson had 20 points for Kentucky Wesleyan. Bryce Butler scored 18 points once again for Malone and filled the cup the most for the Pioneers.
 
PIONEER POINTS

• All eight Malone players who checked in ended up in the scoring column for the Pioneers.
• Along with being Malone's highest scorer, Bryce Butler also led the team in assists with five.
• The Pioneers had a rebounding advantage of 35-30, and gathered 13 offensive boards, compared to only three for the Panthers.
• Marcus Ernst secured the most rebounds in the game with 11, and netted 12 points to tally his 16th career double-double.
• Off the bench, Justin Miller scored six points, gathered eight rebounds and dished out four assists in 31 minutes played.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
Malone continues to play on the road to begin their 2020-21 season, with the next scheduled game taking place on Friday, January 8 at the University of Findlay. Findlay is currently ranked the 10th best team in NCAA Division II. It is a men's and women's doubleheader, with the women tipping off at 5:30 pm and the men immediately following at 7:30 pm.