CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University men's basketball team shut down Ohio Dominican University on Thursday by a final score of 81-51. The Pioneers are now 13-14 overall and 9-10 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). The Panthers fall to 9-18 in overall and 5-14 in the conference.
Malone shot 52.5% (31-of-59) in the game, the second-highest mark for the team this season. The Pioneers took control early with a 46-22 first half that featured a 5-for-10 effort from beyond the arc and a 25-10 edge on the glass.
Malone started the game down by three until
Caleb Conard and
Ryan Bartley netted two baskets to give them the lead for the remainder of the game. Two threes from
Tre Baumgardner III and
Simon Blair would help extend the Pioneers lead. A layup from Conard would put Malone up double digits and a jump shots from Baumgardner III and Bartley would make the score 46-22 at the half.
Blair would complete a fast break play off a steal early in the second half. Quickly after, Conard made a three-point play off an and-one. A three from Blair would give Malone a 31-point lead at 61-30.
A three from Baumgardner III would put the Pioneers up 37 with 8:52 left on the clock. Shots made by Blair and Barley kept Malone ahead by a sizable margin. The Panthers made two jumpers to shorten the lead, but a dunk from
Tahleik Walker off a steal shifted momentum back to the Pioneers to make the final score, 81-51.
Malone had a 7-0 edge in fastbreak points over Ohio Dominican in the game. The Pioneers also won in points off turnovers (16-7), second chance points (13-3), and points in the paint (38-24). Bartley was the leading scorer for Malone with 26 points. Conard led the Pioneers in rebounds with a total of 10. Conard also scored a total of 18 points to secure a double-double.
Malone's last regular season game will be at home in Osborne Hall on Saturday, March 1. They will play a conference matchup against Hillsdale College with a tip-off time of 3:00 P.M. Prior to the start of the contest, the Pioneers will honor their seven senior student-athletes.
