Men’s Basketball Opens Conference Play with Victory over Saint Francis

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio. – The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team (7-0, 1-0 CL) opened Crossroads League play in Ariel Arena on Wednesday, November 19 against the University of Saint Francis (3-5, 0-1 CL) 

MVNU controlled much of the first half and used a combination of efficient offense and strong defense to build a double-digit lead heading into the break. MVNU led 45-35 and shot 45.7% from the field at halftime. USF struggled to find its rhythm, shooting just 34.2% from the field and 16.7% from three. 

USF found its footing after halftime and slowly started to get itself back into the game. MVNU built a 12-point lead, but USF chipped away, bringing the score to within two points at 54-52 with 13:41 remaining after a made three. USF took its first lead since the 13:19 mark of the first half after a pair of free throws put it up 55-54 with 12:46 remaining. The game remained a back-and-forth battle until Devin Dreier's layup gave MVNU a 67-65 lead with 8:10 left. The bucket was part of a 15-0 run for MVNU, putting it up 80-65 with 4:19 on the clock. The Cougars of MVNU successfully closed out the game and would win their first Crossroads League contest of the season by a score of 89-81. 

For the game, MVNU shot 49% from the field and 30% (6-20) from three. MVNU capitalized at the line, hitting 17 of its 21 attempts, good for a clip of 81%. Peyton Heiss led the way with 23 points on 8-13 shooting and 4-6 shooting from three with eight rebounds. Isaiah Brown had 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Dreier scored 15 points and pulled down six rebounds. Kieran Granville had 10 points off the bench on 5-7 shooting from the floor. 

Coach Ronai's Thoughts 

"I thought our guys did a great job of protecting the box area tonight and making things difficult in the paint. We have a ways to go offensively, but when we consistently changed sides, we found our shot. Much to learn and grow from." 

What's Next 

The Cougars will be on the road traveling to Huntington, Indiana to take on the (RV) Foresters of Huntington University on Saturday, November 22 at 3:00 p.m.  

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,200 students from 36 states, 1 U.S. commonwealth and 41 foreign countries.