The Malone University men’s basketball team had its streak of eight consecutive victories come to an end on Saturday afternoon at Osborne Hall as visiting Roberts Wesleyan (NY) College overcame a 53-41 halftime deficit, out-scoring the Pioneers 51-23 over the final 20 minutes to record a 92-76 American Mideast Conference triumph.  After allowing Malone to hit nearly 50% of its field goal attempts in the first half, including six of 11 (54.5%) three pointers, the Raiders clamped down on the defensive end in the final stanza, forcing 12 Pioneer turnovers while limiting the hosts to just 22.6% (seven of 31) shooting from the field during the second period, including only 7.7% (one of 13) from beyond the three-point arc.  Malone’s record dropped to 12-13 overall and 8-5 in the AMC with the tough defeat while Roberts Wesleyan improved to 13-10 overall and 6-6 in the conference.

The Pioneers led by as many as 18 points with 2 ½ minutes to play in the opening stanza.  Roberts Wesleyan cut the deficit to 12 at intermission and then opened the second frame on a 26-8 scoring run to grab a 67-61 advantage with 9:52 showing on the clock.  A tip-in by Malone guard Cody Miller (So., Lake Center Christian H.S.) on the Pioneers’ next possession cut the deficit to four at 67-63, but the hosts got no closer the rest of the way as the Raiders pulled away for the win.

On the afternoon, Malone knocked down 35.5% (22 of 62) of its field-goal tries, 29.2% (seven of 24) of its three-pointers, and 89.3% (25 of 28) of its free throws.  Roberts Wesleyan countered by sinking 33 of its 55 (60.0%) field goals, two of its seven (28.6%) threes and 24 of its 32 (75.0%) foul shots.  The Raiders trailed by a narrow 34-32 margin in total rebounds but also outscored the Pioneers 48-16 in the paint and held a 20-5 advantage in fast-break points.

Junior forward Nick Watts (Holland, MI) paced five Pioneers in double figures with 18 points.  Junior forward Ebiowei Porbeni (pictured above; Plainfield, IL) followed with 12 points, a team-high seven rebounds, two blocks, and two assists.  Sophomore guard Eric Coblentz (Lake H.S.) tossed in 11 points and dished out four assists.  Junior forward Jock Rottman (Triway H.S.) also posted 11 while junior guard Kyle Higgins (Columbus West H.S.) totaled 10 points.  Center Alif Bland made his presence felt inside for the Raiders as he registered game-highs of 24 points, 15 rebounds and six blocked shots.

The Pioneers will look to bounce back on Tuesday as they host NAIA Division II #2 Walsh University (23-2 overall, 11-1 AMC) at 7:30 p.m.  The Cavaliers entered Saturday with a 1 ½ game lead on Cedarville University for first place in the AMC South Division standings.  Malone, meanwhile, remains in second place in the AMC North, 1 ½ games in front of both Roberts Wesleyan and  Daemen (NY) College, who are currently tied for third.  Streaming audio, video and statistics will all be available over the internet for Tuesday’s game (click here for links to each).  In addition, the contest will also be broadcast on the radio at WNPQ 95.9 FM.

Playoff Picture: The top three teams from the AMC North Division and the top three teams from the AMC South Division will qualify for postseason play.  Two automatic bids will be awarded to the NAIA Division II National Tournament from this six-team playoff field. 

With an 8-5 conference record and three AMC games remaining on its schedule, Malone is currently second in the North Division standings.

Notes: Roberts Wesleyan’s 60% shooting on Saturday marked the highest field-goal percentage compiled by a Malone opponent so far this season…The Pioneers had held their opponents under 60 points in six straight games prior to the Raiders’ 92-point outburst on Saturday.

AMC Men's Basketball Standings

The Malone University men’s basketball team continued its late-season surge on Friday evening at Osborne Hall as the squad recorded its eighth consecutive victory with a hard-fought 63-55 American Mideast Conference triumph over visiting Daemen (NY) College.  The contest, which featured seven ties and seven lead changes, remained close from start to finish as the Pioneers’ eight-point advantage in the final moments marked the largest lead for either team.  An old-fashioned three-point play by Malone forward Nick Watts (pictured left; Jr., Holland, MI) put the Pioneers on top 54-48 with a little over two minutes remaining.  The Wildcats split a pair of free throws and then added a dunk during their next two possessions to cut the deficit to three at 54-51 with 1:23 to play.  However, Daemen was unable to get any closer the rest of the way as Malone sealed the win by hitting nine of 12 free throws over the final 63 seconds.  With the victory, the Pioneers avenged a 94-67 loss at Daemen on January 8th and improved their record to 12-12 overall and 8-4 in the AMC.  The Wildcats, meanwhile, dropped to 14-10 overall and 6-5 in the conference with the tough defeat.  

Malone, which entered Friday’s match-up with a ½ game lead on Daemen for second place in the AMC North Division standings, took a 29-26 lead to the locker room at intermission and then remained in front until the 6:49 mark of the second half when a layup by Wildcat guard Jorge Ebanks gave the visitors their first and only advantage of the second stanza at 43-42.  A three-point play by Pioneer forward Jock Rottman (Jr., Triway H.S.) quickly put the hosts back in front 45-43. Daemen would tie it on its next trip down the floor before clutch back-to-back three-pointers by Malone guards Cody Miller (So., Lake Center Christian H.S.) and Eric Coblentz (So., Lake H.S.) gave the Pioneers the lead for good.

Malone’s strong shooting from beyond the three-point arc and at the foul line proved to be the difference as the Pioneers knocked down 18 of 22 (81.8%) free throws and 19 of 46 (41.3%) shots from the floor, including seven of 13 (53.8%) tries from three-point range.  Daemen made eight of 10 (80.0%) foul shots and 23 of 55 (41.8%) field goals but was ice-cold from beyond the arc, making just one of its 17 (5.9%) treys.

Coblentz paced the hosts with 17 points and five boards.  Junior guard Kyle Higgins (Columbus West H.S.) followed with 11.  Watts and Rottman each provided a lift off the bench as Watts totaled 11 points and a team-high six rebounds while Rottman notched eight points.  Forward Devon Dawson led the way for the Wildcats with 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Malone will look to make it nine in a row on Saturday afternoon when it hosts Roberts Wesleyan (NY) College (12-10 overall, 5-6 AMC) in a 4:00 p.m. contest.  The Raiders, who lost at Walsh University 79-43 on Friday evening, are currently in fourth place in the AMC North standings, 2 ½ games behind the second-place Pioneers.  Streaming audio, video and statistics will all be available over the internet for Saturday’s game (click here for links to each).  In addition, the contest will also be broadcast on the radio at WNPQ 95.9 FM.

Playoff Picture: The top three teams from the AMC North Division and the top three teams from the AMC South Division will qualify for postseason play.  Two automatic bids will be awarded to the NAIA Division II National Tournament from this six-team playoff field. 

With an 8-4 conference record and four AMC games remaining on its schedule, Malone is currently second in the North Division standings, now just 1 ½  games behind first-place Notre Dame (OH) College.

Notes:The Pioneers’ eight-game winning streak is the longest string of consecutive Malone victories since the 1998-1999 season when the squad won nine straight…The Pioneers entered Friday’s contest leading the AMC in free-throw shooting with an overall percentage of 74.0%...Malone also entered Friday leading the conference in three-pointers made with 192…Coblentz entered Friday’s game as the AMC’s leader in both free-throw percentage (88.5%) and three-pointers made (73).

AMC Men's Basketball Standings

The Malone University men’s basketball team stretched its winning streak to seven games on Tuesday evening at Osborne Hall as the squad hung on for a thrilling 56-55 American Mideast Conference victory against visiting Notre Dame (OH) College.  The Falcons, who entered the contest with a three-game lead on the Pioneers in the AMC North Division standings, held a 53-50 advantage with just over 2 ½ minutes to play in regulation.  However, Pioneer guard Kyle Higgins (pictured left; Jr., Columbus West H.S.) led Malone back by hitting clutch three-pointers on consecutive trips down the floor to put his squad in front 56-53 with 1:21 showing on the clock.  Notre Dame guard Al Miller answered with a pull-up jumper on the Falcons next possession to trim the deficit to 56-55 with just over a minute remaining.  After calling a timeout following a missed Pioneer shot, Notre Dame ran down the clock for one last attempt but guard Nick McCartney’s potential game-winner clanged off the rim as the buzzer sounded, giving Malone the thrilling, one-point triumph.  The Pioneers improved to 11-12 overall and 7-4 in the AMC with the hard-fought victory while Notre Dame saw its five-game winning streak snapped as the visitors fell to 17-7 overall and 9-2 in the conference.

Malone held a 26-15 advantage with 4 ½ minutes to go in the opening stanza but the Falcons then outscored the Pioneers 7-1 over the remainder of the period to trim the hosts’ lead to 27-22 at intermission.   Malone’s advantage twice grew back to 10 points before Notre Dame went on a 10-0 scoring run to knot the game at 43-43 with less than seven minutes on the clock.  A lay-up by Pioneer sophomore guard Eric Coblentz (Lake H.S.) ended the Malone drought but the Falcons then managed to take their first lead of the game at 46-45 following a Miller three at the 5:10 mark of the second half.  Notre Dame maintained its slim advantage over the next few minutes before Higgins’ clutch treys put the Pioneers on top for good.

Both teams played tough defense throughout the contest as Malone connected on 20 of 58 (34.5%) shots from the field, nine of 29 (31.0%) three-pointers, and seven of 10 (70.0%) free throws.  Notre Dame countered by hitting 16 of 48 (33.3%) field-goal tries, two of 10 (20.0%) threes, and 21 of 30 (70.0%) foul shots.  The Falcons held a slim 40-35 advantage in total rebounds and outscored Malone 20-14 in the paint.  However, the Pioneers registered 15 points off 11 NDC turnovers while also ending the night with a 16-5 advantage in assists.

Coblentz paced Malone with 16 points and five assists.  Higgins was a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the three-point arc during the final four minutes of the game, ending the night with 12 points.  Junior forward Ebiowei Porbeni (Plainfield, IL) added eight points and five rebounds, senior guard Jeremy Duerr (Lake H.S.) notched six points and three steals, while junior forward Nick Watts (Holland, MI) came off the bench to tally six points and a team-high six boards.  Forward Eric Dummermuth led the Falcons with 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Malone will look to make it eight in a row on Friday evening as the squad continues conference play with a 7:30 p.m. contest against Daemen (NY) College (14-9 overall, 6-4 AMC).  The Wildcats are currently in third place in the AMC North Division standings, a ½ game behind the second-place Pioneers.  Streaming video and statistics will be available over the internet for Friday’s game (click here for links to each).

Playoff Picture: The top three teams from the AMC North Division and the top three teams from the AMC South Division will qualify for postseason play.  Two automatic bids will be awarded to the NAIA Division II National Tournament from this six-team playoff field. 

With a 7-4 conference record and five AMC games remaining on its schedule, Malone is currently second in the North Division standings, now just two games behind Notre Dame.

Notes: The Pioneers’ seven-game winning streak matches the longest string of consecutive victories since the 1998-1999 season when the squad won nine straight…Malone also put together seven-game winning streaks during the 2007-2008, 2006-2007, and 2001-2002 seasons…Tuesday marked the sixth time this year that the Pioneers have been involved in a game decided by two points or less.

AMC Men's Basketball Standings

The Malone University men’s basketball team shot a blistering 62.7% (37 of 59) from the field and hit 16 three-pointers on Saturday afternoon to record a lop-sided 110-57 American Mideast Conference victory at home against Wilberforce University.  Sophomore guard Eric Coblentz (pictured left; Lake H.S.) led the Pioneer offensive assault as he poured in a game-high 29 points after connecting on a pair of free throws and 10 of his 15 (66.7%) shots from the field, including seven of 11 (63.6%) attempts from beyond the three-point arc.  Malone, which had six players reach double figures, never trailed in the contest as the squad built a 47-31 halftime lead and then never looked back as it rolled to its sixth consecutive win.  The Pioneers improved to 10-12 overall and 6-4 in the AMC with the victory while Wilberforce dropped to 8-14 overall and 2-8 in the conference.

Malone had 11 different players score in the game as the squad posted season-highs for field-goal percentage, three-pointers, three-point percentage (59.3%) and assists (26).  The Pioneers sank 20 of 23 (87.0%) foul shots and 16 of 27 threes, finishing one trey shy of tying the school’s single-game record of 17.  Wilberforce held a slim 39-37 advantage in total rebounds but committed 15 turnovers and struggled to get its offense going, making 22 of 72 (30.6%) field goal tries, four of 18 (22.2%) three-pointers and nine of 16 (56.3%) free throws over the course of the evening.

Malone received contributions from its entire roster throughout the game as 11 different players scored, 10 players recorded at least two assists and seven different players hit a three-pointer.  Junior forward Jock Rottman (Triway H.S.) came off the bench to total 14 points and a team-high six rebounds.  Junior forward Ebiowei Porbeni (Plainfield, IL) posted 12 points, five boards, three assists and three blocks.  Junior guard Kyle Higgins (Columbus West H.S.) also tallied 12 points and three assists while senior forward Mark Young (Jackson H.S.) and sophomore guard Cody Miller (Lake Center Christian H.S.) each ended the night with 10 points and three assists apiece.  Guard Timothy Giles came off the bench to pace the Bulldogs with 12 points.

Malone will look to make it seven in a row on Tuesday evening when it hosts an important 7:30 p.m. American Mideast Conference game against Notre Dame College.  The Falcons, now 17-6 overall and 9-1 in the AMC, are currently in first place in the AMC North Division standings, three games ahead of the second-place Pioneers who own a 6-4 conference record.  Streaming audio, video and statistics will all be available over the internet for Tuesday’s game (click here for links to each).  In addition, the contest will also be broadcast on the radio at WNPQ 95.9 FM.

Playoff Picture:  The top three teams from the AMC North Division and the top three teams from the AMC South Division will qualify for postseason play.  Two automatic bids will be awarded to the NAIA Division II National Tournament from this six-team playoff field. 

With a 6-4 conference record and six AMC games remaining on its schedule, Malone is currently in sole possession of second place in the North Division standings.

Notes:  Malone’s current six-game winning streak is the longest string of consecutive Pioneer victories since the squad notched seven straight wins midway through its 2007-2008 campaign…Saturday marked the second time this season that Coblentz has drained seven threes (he also knocked down seven en route to a 39-point outburst in Malone’s 89-82 home win over Cincinnati Christian University on December 18th)…The Pioneers’ 62.7% shooting percentage from the floor on Saturday marked Malone’s best shooting performance since December 21, 2006 when the squad knocked down 63.5% (33 of 52) of its shots in a 102-90 victory at Urbana University.

AMC Men's Basketball Standings

The Malone University men’s basketball team rolled to its fifth straight victory on Tuesday night with a convincing 77-38 American Mideast Conference win at home against Houghton (NY) College.  The Pioneers locked down on the defensive end throughout the game, forcing 22 Highlander turnovers while allowing the visitors to make just 13 of their 46 (28.3%) shots from the field.  Malone never trailed in the contest as the squad pulled ahead 15-3 in the opening minutes, took a 42-21 advantage into the locker room at halftime and then stretched its lead to as many as 42 points late in the second frame.  With the victory, Malone avenged a 65-63 loss at the buzzer to Houghton on January 9th and matched its win total for the entire 2008-2009 season, improving its record to 9-12 overall and 5-4 in the AMC.  The Highlanders, meanwhile, fell to 8-11 overall and 3-6 in the conference with the tough defeat.

On the evening, the Pioneers held a 39-25 advantage in total rebounds while shooting a season-high 53.4% (31 of 58) from the floor.  Malone also grabbed 13 steals while sinking seven of 19 (36.8%) three-pointers and eight of 12 (66.7%) free throws.  Houghton, which made nine of 13 (69.2%) foul shots and three of 11 (27.3%) tries from beyond the three-point arc, was unable to get its offense on track for much of the night as a made three-pointer on its final possession prevented Malone from breaking the Pioneer all-time mark for fewest points allowed in a game (The Pioneers gave up just 36 in a lop-sided 126-36 victory over Valley Forge during the 1990-1991 season).    

Sophomore guard Eric Coblentz (pictured above; Lake H.S.) scored 15 of his game-high 19 points in the first half while also totaling six rebounds, three steals and two assists over the course of the evening.  Junior forward Nick Watts (Holland, MI) came off the bench to post 14 points while junior forward Ebiowei Porbeni (Plainfield, IL) added 12 points and six boards.  Other contributors included junior guard Kyle Higgins (Columbus West H.S.) with 11 points and senior guard Jeremy Duerr (Lake H.S.) with a season-high seven assists and five steals.  Guard Ryan Shay paced Houghton with 10 points.

Malone will look to stretch its winning streak to six in a row on Saturday when it hosts Wilberforce University (8-12 overall, 2-6 AMC) in a 4:00 p.m. American Mideast Conference game.  2010 Malone Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees Don Andres ('67 - Basketball), Dave Jones ('89 - Baseball), Brian Kelly ('92 - Track & Field), and Chris Reuscher ('97 - Golf) will be honored at halftime of the contest.  Streaming video and statistics will be available over the internet for Saturday’s game (click here for links to each).

Playoff Picture:  The top three teams from the AMC North Division and the top three teams from the AMC South Division will qualify for postseason play.  Two automatic bids will be awarded to the NAIA Division II National Tournament from this six-team playoff field. 

With a 5-4 conference record and seven AMC games remaining on its schedule, Malone has moved into sole possession of second place in the North Division standings.

AMC Men's Basketball Standings