CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University men's basketball team hosts their fifth consecutive game in Osborne Hall on Wednesday after starting the season with five road games, including the exhibition at Akron. The Pioneers do battle with one of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) frontrunners, the Cedarville University Yellow Jackets.
 
HARDWOOD SERIES HISTORY:
Cedarville is Malone's second most common opponent behind only cross-town rival Walsh. Malone is 56-46 all-time versus the Yellow Jackets. Malone and Cedarville met three times last season. Cedarville swept the home and road games in the regular season, but the Pioneers prevailed in the G-MAC Quarterfinal post-season contest 73-71.
 
GAME INFORMATION:
Malone Pioneers (3-5, 2-5 G-MAC) vs Cedarville Yellow Jackets (6-3, 6-3 G-MAC)
Osborne Hall – Canton, Ohio
Live Video/Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/malone/
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MALONE PIONEERS TEAM NOTES:
Schedule | Roster | Statistics
 
Malone has won three of their last four games, all of which have been at home. Their most recent game against Trevecca Nazarene was won in a unique way with a methodical pace and the Trojans trying to pound the ball inside. This game should have a quicker pace, as Cedarville boasts five double-digit scorers and is the best offensive team in the league at 81.2 points per game.
 
Malone has the third best scoring offense in the G-MAC at 77.4 points per game. The Pioneers boast four different scorers who average double figures: Bo Myers, Bryce Butler, Marcus Ernst and Jaret Majestic. Myers is the reigning Malone Athlete of the Week with his 19 point performance on Saturday and 23 points against Kentucky Wesleyan. In last season's meeting at home versus Cedarville, Myers exploded for a career-high 24 points off the bench.
 
The biggest aspect of the game to watch for will be on the boards. The Pioneers and Yellow Jackets are the top two rebounding teams in the league. Cedarville brings in the most missed shots at 40.6 per game and Malone is tied for second with 37.3 RPG. On the offensive glass, Malone and Cedarville are atop the league table at 12.4 and 12.1 O-boards per game.
 
Justin Miller, Levi Seiler and Brian Read will have the tough task of guarding another team that puts two bigs on the floor at the same time. TenHove, Van Horn and Drees can all stretch the floor better than Trevecca's seven-footers, but are also formidable in the paint.
 
At the guard spot, Bryce Butler, the best perimeter defender for the Pioneers, will face off against Branden Maughmer for the Yellow Jackets. This week will provide two of the toughest guards in the conference for Butler to match up with defensively.  
 
CEDARVILLE YELLOW JACKETS TEAM NOTES:
Schedule | Roster | Statistics
 
Cedarville were winners of five straight before falling in double overtime to ranked Hillsdale on Tuesday 83-79. The Yellow Jackets struggled to score the basketball in the first half, but were able to settle themselves into a groove in the second and were 14-of-29 from the floor and 6-of-10 from downtown. Four of the team's five starters played more than 40 minutes in the game.
 
Cedarville is one of the most complete teams in the conference and one that is loaded with experience. Four of the five Yellow Jacket starters are upperclassmen and they mix in a pair of talented freshmen off the bench.
 
Maughmer is a versatile player that does everything well for the Yellow Jackets. He averages 17.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and a team-high 5.1 assists per game. He played a team-high 49 minutes in the double overtime loss to Hillsdale and rarely leaves the floor. Maughmer leads the league in steals at 2.4 per contest.
 
Surrounding him on the wings are Quinton Green and Isaish Speelman. Green has reached double figures in seven of the eight games he has played in this season. Although they do not shoot a large volume of shots from three-point range, Speelman is the one who typically takes the most. Speelman knocked home three shots from deep in Tuesday's loss.
 
Conner TenHove in his career against the Pioneers averages 18.7 points per game. This season, he leads the conference in rebounding at 9.5 boards per contest. Kollin Van Horn returned to the court on Tuesday after missing five consecutive games. Jacob Drees has been pivotal in his absence, and is on a roll with three consecutive games of 10 or more rebounds.