THE BASICS
Score: #RV Bethel University (Ind.) 99, #9 Madonna University 96
Records: Bethel (1-0), Madonna (0-2)
Location: MU Activities Center, Livonia, Mich.
 

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LIVONIA, Mich. - The ninth-ranked Madonna University men's basketball team got a career-high 36 points from Dwight Burton and held a double-digit lead for much of the contest, but a second-half lull and timely shots by Bethel University (Ind.) gave the Crusaders a 99-96 loss in overtime inside the MU Activities Center on Saturday afternoon.

It was a back and forth opening five minutes as Bethel took an early 16-15 lead. The Crusaders then took control with a 10-0 run highlighted by seven points from Mark Mettie. The run was part of a larger 27-11 run over the middle 10 minutes of the first half that gave the Crusaders a 42-27 lead with 5:33 left in the opening half. The Pilots outscored the Blue and Gold 16-9 the rest of the half to cut MU's lead to eight, 51-43 at the half.

Madonna scored the first four points of the half and built their lead back to 12 on a Joshua Reynolds layup at 17:37 to make it 57-45. That's when the Mishawaka, Indiana program took over the contest and outscored the Crusaders 25-3 over the next six-plus minutes to take a 10-point, 70-60, lead. A Tahj Chatman jumper ended the run and Burton tallied the next five points to cut the margin back to three, 70-67. MU trailed by eight points with 2:25 to play and that's when the defense stepped up as the Blue and Gold held the Pilots scoreless the rest of the half while Burton scored a trio of layups and Henry Speight converted a pair of free throws to send the game to overtime tied at 87.

In the final period, TreVion Crews traded baskets with Burton and Mettie and a pair of Burton free throws tied the game at 95, but MU missed a free throw, a layup, and a 3-pointer in the final 55 seconds as crews converted a pair at the line with 12 seconds to play for the 99-96 final score.

TURNING POINT

• Madonna outscoring the Pilots 8-0 over the final 1:55 to send the game to overtime

NOEL'S NOTIONS

• "Bethel is one of the top teams in the country and I think that's where preseason rankings can be misleading at times and we will see that play out over the course of this season. I think today we are a bit overrated, but we are capable of being a highly ranked team. We have to get better on defense, close out games and execute better in different stretches, but I felt we took a step forward as far as our grit and intensity. There were moments there it didn't look good, but we were able to push the game to overtime and we had some looks that we will take every time we can get them. I think by the end of the year we will be a much better team and have the chance to be very special." - Head Coach Noel Emenhiser on the loss

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

• Burton finished with 36 points on 13-of-23 shooting and added five rebounds while Speight finished with a double-double as he scored 21 points and grabbed 14 boards
• Mettie finished with 20 points and six rebounds while Reynolds added 15 points
• Crews led the Pilots with 27 points and scored 10 of BU's 12 in the overtime period

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• 50.7/42.9/77.3: Madonna shot 50.7 percent (35-of-69) from the field, 42.9 percent (9-of-21) from three and 77.3 percent (17-of-22) from the free throw line, but the defense permitted the Pilots to convert 38-of-74 (51.4%) from the floor and 11-of-33 (33.3%) from long range.
• 37: Both teams collected 37 rebounds 
• 21-12: The Pilots held the edge in points off turnovers as they converted 15 MU miscues into 21 points while Madonna managed 12 points off 12 Bethel turnovers

UP NEXT

• The Blue and Gold return to action on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-2 as they welcome Roosevelt University (Ill.), Lawrence Technological University and Brescia University (Ky.) to the MU Activities Center for the Bernie Holowicki Classic sponsored by Hampton by Hilton - Northville
• Complete tournament information will be available soon at mucrusaders.com while M U will play Friday at 7 p.m. against Brescia and Saturday at 5 p.m. against Roosevelt.
• Fans can book their reservations here with the booking code 0003243851
• Live coverage will be available via the Madonna Athletics Network at www.mucrusaders.com/live. 

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