CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University men's basketball team picked up a huge Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) win on Thursday night, 86-81. Malone moves to 10-6 overall and 9-6 in conference play with their third consecutive victory. Tiffin falls to 5-12 overall and in league play.
 
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED:
Marcus Ernst started the game with a lay-up, but from there Tiffin went on a huge offensive run. The Dragons went up 16-8 in the first five minutes. Trent Williams connected on four three-point field goals and Tiffin was 6-for-6 from beyond the arc to take a 10 point lead.
 
Down six with seven minutes left in the half, the Pioneers went on an 8-0 run to take the lead, with a pair of three's from Jaret Majestic and free throws from Bryce Butler.
 
The Dragons ended the half with three straight baskets and led 48-45 going into the break. Marcus Ernst had 15 in the half, including an and-one with 2:13 to go that put him over the 1,000 career mark.
 
Majestic had back-to-back shots from long range to quickly give Malone the lead at 51-48. He hit another three less than two minutes later to reclaim the lead at 54-53.
 
A two-handed dunk from Marcus Ernst sparked a 7-0 Pioneer run and gave the Pioneers a 64-58 advantage with 13:06 to go. Justin Miller converted a lay-up under halfway in the period to take a six-point lead again 68-62.
 
Three straight makes for Tiffin allowed the Dragons to hang around, but Simon Blair came off the Malone bench and scored seven points, two of which stopped the run at the eight minute mark.
 
Bo Myers hit back-to-back shots, including a three on the fast break, to take a four-point lead with five minutes remaining. A 7-0 spurt for the Dragons swung momentum back Tiffin's way at 80-77 with 2:31 to play.
 
With 1:38 left, Bryce Butler stepped to the charity stripe and knocked down a pair of freebees to tie the game at 80 points apiece. Five consecutive makes down the stretch from Ernst and Butler sealed the victory for the Pioneers and Malone left Osborne Hall a winner 86-81.
 
PIONEER POINTS:

• After a hot shooting first half for Tiffin, the Pioneers were able to cool off the steaming hot Dragons in the second, limiting them to 37% (13-for-35) in the second. Malone shot 52% (30-for-58) in the game.
• Marcus Ernst was the high man in points (24) and rebounds (14) in Thursday's win. He also sent back a career-high five shots in the game.
• Jaret Majestic scored 19 points, including six trifectas. Majestic had 13 in the second half to lead Pioneer scorers in the period.
• Bo Myers and Bryce Butler reached double figures with 15 and 10 points respectively. Myers connected on three shots from long range and Butler dished out a team-high five assists.
• Simon Blair tied his season-high with seven points in the game in 11 minutes of floor time.

 
UP NEXT:
The Pioneers go on the road for the final time in the regular season on Saturday when Malone travels to Cedarville University. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 pm in the Callan Athletics Center.