CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University men's basketball team has won four straight games, but enter what could quite possibly be their biggest game of the season on Tuesday against cross-town rival Walsh University. It is the 57th Annual Mayors' Cup Game live from Osborne Hall and the Pioneers have an opportunity to sweep the Cavaliers in the regular season for the first time since 1994.
 
GAME INFORMATION:
Malone Pioneers (11-6, 10-6 G-MAC) vs Walsh Cavaliers (8-7, 8-7 G-MAC)
Osborne Hall – Canton, Ohio (8 pm)
Live Video/Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/malone/
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/malone-basketball-vs-walsh-university-tickets-142239182223
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HARDWOOD SERIES HISTORY:
Malone won the earlier matchup this season against Walsh 76-74. The Pioneers jumped out to a 27-point lead in the first half, but the Cavaliers stormed back to tie the game in the final minute. Bryce Butler drove to the rim for a left handed lay-up to seal the victory.
 
The last win for Walsh came in the Mayors' Cup Game one season ago when the Cavaliers won at home 74-59 in the final game of the 2019-20 regular season.
 
MALONE PIONEERS TEAM NOTES:
Schedule | Roster | Statistics
 
Just as they had to do last week, the Pioneers will be forced to play three games in five days after COVID-19 rescheduling. Malone continues to stay hot, having won four consecutive games and 11 of their last 13 contests.
 
Marcus Ernst, who was named Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Athlete of the Week for men's basketball with his efforts one week ago, has collected a double-double in five of the last six games. He averaged 20.3 points per game, 12.0 rebounds per game and shot 64.9% from the field in victories over Ohio Valley, Tiffin and Cedarville.
 
In Malone's most recent game, a 23-point win at Cedarville, Levi Seiler had the best scoring night of his career by netting 22 total points and was 9-for-11 from the field overall. From beyond the arc, Seiler knocked down all four of his attempts in the game.
 
Bryce Butler and Bo Myers scored a team-high 17 points each in the 76-74 win over Walsh on February 6. Myers accumulated a double-double in the game with 11 rebounds as well. Butler has scored in double figures in his last 12 games.
 
Jaret Majestic has hit four or more attempts from deep in each of his last three games and shot at or above 50% from three in all of them. The senior is really finding his stride scoring the basketball late in the season and has taken the top spot in the conference in three-point percentage (42.2%).
 
WALSH CAVALIERS TEAM NOTES:
Schedule | Roster | Statistics
 
Walsh comes into the Mayors' Cup game having won their most recent game 66-62 over Tiffin University. Prior to that, the Cavaliers had lost five in a row.
 
As a team, Walsh averages 70.4 points per game offensively and surrender 68.7 points per game. One of the biggest discrepancies statistically between Malone and Walsh is in the rebounding department. The Cavaliers only brings in 33.8 boards per game, while the Pioneers reel in a league-high 38.5.
 
Darryl Straughter is the fourth-highest scorer in the G-MAC at 17.1 points per game and leads the Cavaliers with 3.1 made three's per game. Straughter is third in the G-MAC at nearly 36 minutes per game.
 
Earlier this season, Christian Montague torched the Pioneers for a career-best 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting in the game. In the Cavaliers' most recent game against Tiffin, Caleb Canter had a season-high in points (19) and rebounds (12).
 
The other two spots in the Walsh starting line-up have been in flux in recent weeks. Against Tiffin, Nic Smith and Milan Square were starters, but Luke Howes and Garrison Keeslar have both played heavy minutes and have been inserted into the starting line-up before.