CANTON -- The Malone University men's basketball team hit the court for a non-conference game on Monday afternoon. 

The Pioneers welcomed the Emory & Henry College Wasps to Osborne Hall. 

Despite carrying a 31-30 lead to the halftime locker room, Malone (9-2, 4-0 G-MAC) trailed for a large portion of the second-half.

However, in the end the Pioneers were able to pull away from Emory & Henry (7-4) for the 80-72 win. 

Malone has now won nine consecutive games this season. Dating back to last season, they have picked up fourteen consecutive victories inside of Osborne Hall.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Both sides had some offensive struggles in the first half, but the cold shooting especially plagued the Pioneers. Malone was just 13-40 from the field in the first twenty minutes of play for a 32.5% field goal percentage. 

Neither team led by more than just one possession during the first half, with the teams constantly trading buckets. 

Malone's first ten points of the contest all came at the hands of junior Levi Seiler. It was not until Jaret Majestic's three-pointer tickled the twine with 11:05 to play in the half, that another Pioneer player got on the scoreboard. 

The Wasps were able to match every Malone score, and actually held a two point lead with under ten seconds to play in the half. 

After E&H got the go-ahead basket in, the Pioneers quickly countered back on the other end. Bo Myers connected on a deep three-point shot as the first-half buzzer sounded to send the teams back to their respective locker rooms with Malone leading 31-30. 

Unfortunately Emory & Henry came out of the break and started to get some things going on the offensive end. The Wasps quickly regained the lead with the first points of the second-half, and actually built up a seven-point advantage with under thirteen minutes left in the game. 

A three-pointer put E&H up 50-43 with 12:55 to play, and forced Malone head coach Casey Kaufman to call a timeout. 

Just a few possessions later another Majestic three-pointer combined with a layup from Justin Miller cut the deficit down to 53-52.

The Pioneers' defense forced a turnover on the ensuing possession, and Majestic drilled another shot from deep to give Malone a 55-53 lead. 

Both teams traded scores a couple of times, but once Bo Myers converted a layup to put the Pioneers up 59-58 with 7:42 to play MU never trailed again. 

The lead swelled to as many as ten points on a Miller three-pointer inside of three minutes to play, and the Pioneers held on down the stretch to secure the 80-72 victory.


PIONEER POINTS

• Bryce Butler led Malone in scoring for the second consecutive game. He finished with a game-high 20 points. He also dished out a season-high eight assists to help facilitate Malone's offensive attack.
• Levi Seiler came up just one point shy of his season high. He finished with 18 points.
• Bo Myers (16) and Jaret Majestic (13) rounded out the double-digit scorers for Malone. 
• Marcus Ernst pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Pioneers. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Pioneers have a quick break to celebrate the Christmas holiday.

Malone will pick the season back up on Wednesday, December 29 with a trip to Ashland University. Tip-off against the newest member of the G-MAC is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.