THE BASICS
Score: #9 Madonna University 72, Rochester University 76
Records: Madonna (7-3, 2-1 WHAC), Rochester (4-4, 2-2 WHAC)
Location: MU Activities Center - Livonia, Mich. 
Turning Point: 10-5 Rochester run over the final 2:18 
 

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LIVONIA, Mich.- The ninth-ranked Madonna University men's basketball team suffered its first Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference loss of the season, 76-72, to Rochester University inside the MU Activities Center on Tuesday night.

The Crusaders (7-3, 2-1 WHAC) couldn't have had a better start as the home team used a 29-12 run over 12:23 in the first half to turn a 6-4 deficit into a 35-18 lead with 4:22 to play in the first half. The run was highlighted by eight points from Ryan Nunn and a pair of highlight-reel tip-ins from Ryan McMullen and KJ Sayer. However, the Warriors (4-4, 2-2 WHAC) battled back and closed the first half on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to eight, 35-27.

The run continued in the second half as Rochester scored 27-of-19 points to take a 56-54 lead with 6:18 to play. Henry Speight converted a layup on the next possession to tie the score and Sayer hit a pair of free throws for the lead, but RU answered with a 7-0 run to go up 63-58. Madonna responded with six straight four at the line and a layup from Reynolds to go back in front 64-63. Cap Wilson followed with a 3-pointer for RU, but Caleb Drumm answered to keep it a one-point game, 67-66, with 2:18 to play. Noah Holly followed the next possession with another from beyond the arc and sparked a 10-5 run for the Warriors over the final 2:18 to hand MU the home loss. 

The loss drops the Crusaders to 5-15 all-time against the Warriors and 2-5 at home with the last home victory coming on Nov. 21, 2006.

Reynolds finished with a game-high 22 points and eight rebounds while Dwight Burton, who battled foul trouble all night, added 13 points. Speight tallied 11 to go with seven boards while Nunn and Sayer each had eight points.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• 21-33: Madonna went 21-of-33 at the free throw line (63.6%) while the Warriors converted 10-of-15 (66.7%)
• 50+: Rochester shot 52.6 percent (10-of-19) from 3-point range and 50 percent (28-of-56) from the floor
• 21.7: Madonna's 3-point field goal percentage (5-of-23)...They finished 23-of-55 (41.8%) from the field
• +19: The Crusaders rebound margin in the contest as they pulled in 44 boards to Rochester's 25

MILESTONE WATCH

• Burton has 968 career points, 32 shy of 1,000 for his career

NOEL'S NOTIONS

• "Rochester is a really good team. They've been in a lot of close games this year, they are tough, defend well and make you work for everything. They made better adjustments than we did and I take credit for that. We had chances, the ball just didn't bounce our way, but we have to be better moving forward because we will continue to get everyone's best effort." - Head Coach Noel Emenhiser on the loss
• "I'm proud of the way our guys have stepped up and played minutes and roles they've been asked to and providing great contributions. Foul trouble is never easy to navigate but I thought our guys did a pretty good job with it tonight and that will add value as we move forward." - Emenhiser on bench players stepping up
• "Missing shots and free throws can be contagious. You miss one or two and guys go to the line thinking about if they will make it or not instead of just doing their job and that's what happened tonight. We made some mistakes, we started to really press and made some poor decisions. We forced tough shots and didn't trust our ball movement and shot selection. We pride ourselves on making the right shot in the right spot at the right time and we weren't able to do that tonight. Credit Rochester for not allowing us to get some of those shots, but we have to make better decisions throughout the game if we want to get to where we want to go." - Emenhiser on the poor shooting performance at the line and beyond the arc

UP NEXT

• The Blue and Gold return from an abbreviated holiday break to face Siena Heights on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 3 p.m. inside the MU Activities Center.
• Live coverage will be available via the Madonna Athletics Network at www.mucrusaders.com/live. 

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