THE BASICS
Score: #9 Madonna University 94, University of Northwestern Ohio 63
Records: Madonna (8-5, 3-3 WHAC), UNOH (2-8, 0-5 WHAC)
Location: MU Activities Center - Livonia, Mich.
Turning Point: 9-0 Crusaders run to start the game
 

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LIVONIA, Mich. - It was a different, more relaxed team on the floor on Saturday afternoon inside the MU Activities Center for the ninth-ranked Madonna  University men's basketball team and it translated into a 94-63 win over the University of Northwestern Ohio to end a three-game losing steak. 

Joshua Reynolds had a monster game as he scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Mark Mettie added 19 points and grabbed eight boards while Dwight Burton scored 16 points, grabbed six boards and dished out nine assists. Henry Speight and Caleb Drumm each added 10 points for MU.

The Crusaders dominated inside as they outscored the Racers 46-26 in the paint and had 22 points off turnovers to UNOHs 10. Madonna also won on the glass as they collected 41 rebounds to UNOHs 28.

The Blue and Gold were in control from the opening tip as Mettie threw down a dunk to open the scoring, Reynolds scored three the hard way and Mettie followed with an emphatic, one-handed slam to make it 7-0 MU and force a UNOH timeout. A Caleb Drumm layup made it 9-0 and the Crusaders were off to the races. The Crusaders led by double figures most of the half and 10 of the final 15 points in the period for a 15-point, 45-30, margin at the break.

Burton and Reynolds combined for nine points on the Crusaders' first three possessions of the second half to push the lead to 19, 54-35. The Racers never threatened in the contest as the Crusaders cruised through the second half. Mettie had a few more highlight-reel dunks and Burton had a nifty no-look pass to his big man late in the second half to make it 82-56. Madonna steadily increased its lead to a game-high 34 on a Tahj Chatman 3-pointer with a minute left to make it 94-60. 

The offense continued to play well as MU shot 56.5 percent (35-of-62) from the field and 36 percent (9-of-25) from beyond the arc while converting 15-of-20 (75%) free throws. The defense stepped up and limited one of the WHAC's top scorers to 10 points as the Racers shot 40.7 percent (24-of-59) from the field, 28.1 percent (9-of-32) from long range and went 6-of-10 (60%) from the charity stripe. 

CRUSADER VISION


MILESTONE WATCH

• Madonna is 15 wins shy of 300 in the program's history

UP NEXT

• The Crusaders have a week off before the welcome No. 14 Cornerstone University to the MU Activities Center on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear their ugly sweaters to the contest and four lucky fans will take home a Madonna Athletics ugly sweater.
• Live coverage will be available via the Madonna Athletics Network at www.mucrusaders.com/live. 

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