CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University men's basketball team will host a quarterfinal game in the 2020-21 Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Men's Basketball Championships on Tuesday night. The Pioneers will be the number four seed in the tournament and host the number five seed, Walsh University Cavaliers.
 
GAME INFORMATION:
#4 Malone Pioneers (14-6, 13-6 G-MAC) vs #5 Walsh Cavaliers (11-8, 11-8 G-MAC)
G-MAC Quarterfinal
Osborne Hall – Canton, OH (6 pm)
Live Video/Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/malone/
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/malone-mens-basketball-vs-walsh-university-tickets-143607003413
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HARDWOOD SERIES HISTORY:
Walsh holds the series lead 80-44 against Malone, but the Pioneers have won three of the last four, including both regular season games this season.
 
G-MAC MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET:

 
#4 MALONE PIONEERS TEAM NOTES:
Schedule | Roster | Statistics
 
In a season where the Malone men's basketball team has already broken some long droughts, the Pioneers still have a few things to check off the bucket list in the postseason. The first of which will be to upend the crosstown rival for the third time this season. Malone has never had a 3-0 season against Walsh in the history of the program, despite having 16 opportunities over the years. The last time the Pioneers were undefeated against the Cavaliers in a season was 1991-92 when Malone went 2-0.
 
The Pioneers won both regular season games by two points – on the road, 76-74, and at home, 71-69. A shot with three seconds to go by Bryce Butler propelled Malone to victory in the first of two and stellar defense from Marcus Ernst in the Mayors' Cup game lifted the Pioneers to their second victory of the season over Walsh.
 
Malone wrapped up the 2020-21 regular season with the G-MAC's highest team scoring offense (83.0 PPG) and rebounding margin (+6.5). Marcus Ernst and Justin Miller have been big contributors to the high rebounding numbers. Ernst has 10 double-doubles on the season and led the conference with 9.3 RPG. Miller was second behind Ernst in the league with 8.0 boards per contest.
 
Bryce Butler, Bo Myers and Marcus Ernst all finished the regular season inside the top 10 in the G-MAC as individual scorers. Butler (17.8 PPG) had his high mark of the season in the upset win over ranked Findlay when he dropped 33 points on 10-for-15 shooting. Myers (16.7 PPG) led the team in scoring in nine of the 20 games on the season and scored a season-high 25 against Cedarville. Ernst (15.9 PPG) went for a career-high 29 points on 12-of-14 from the field in an early season loss at Findlay.
 
Jaret Majestic joins Butler as the only two Pioneer players shooting above 40% from long range. Majestic shoots 40.9% from three and has shot the most shots from deep on the team at 132 this season. 
 
#5 WALSH CAVALIERS TEAM NOTES:
Schedule | Roster | Statistics
 
Walsh enters play on Tuesday with an 11-8 record and won four of their last five games (the only loss coming at the hands of Malone). The Cavaliers are the two-time defending Great Midwest Athletic Conference champions, so even as the five seed, they are not a team to be taken lightly come the month of March.
 
Walsh wrapped up regular season play as the eighth best offensive team in the G-MAC (72.3 PPG) and hold the fifth best scoring defense (69.1 PPG). On the boards, the Cavaliers are slightly positive on the season (+0.3).
 
The Cavaliers are led by Darryl Straughter. Straughter is the second-highest scorer in the conference at 18.0 points per game and rarely leaves the floor. The senior averages almost 36 minutes per game. Perimeter shooting is Straughter's focal point of attack. He hits a league-high 3.3 shots from beyond the arc per game.
 
Christian Montague is the team's second highest scorer at 14.0 points per game. Caleb Canter patrols the painted area for Walsh. Canter is far and away the team's leading rebounder at 7.1 per game.
 
Off the bench, Christian Simmons, Garrison Keeslar and Luke Howes each were solid contributors offensively in the Mayors' Cup game. The trio combined for 25 points, with Simmons leading with 13.