LIVONIA, Mich.-- Madonna University Men's Basketball cranked out a 87-70 victory Wednesday night on the road inside the McDonald Athletic Center on the campus of Spring Arbor University (Mich.) with Mark Mettie establishing 32 points in the route. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

A steal by Logan LePage got the two teams started on Wednesday night before Mettie's deuce in the paint cut into the five point lead of Spring Arbor to kickoff the scoring column for the Crusaders. Mettie then continued to pound the glass with four more points early on ahead of an Ethan Emerzian three-pointer and a Matthew MacLellan two that put Madonna down by just two with 12:51 to go in the first half.

Ryan Nunn knotted things up at 15 all before a three pointer by Noah Campbell gave Madonna its first lead of the night where it would never look back. Campbell then rocketed another three-piece that set up a go-ahead score from Jordan Graham sandwiched by Campbell in which Madonna was above the Cougars by six. 

Mettie set both of Madonna's 17-point leads as the Livonia native drained a three and a jumper where Madonna would go into the locker room with a confident 45-27 lead at the half. 

Just like the first half, Spring Arbor started with a pair of free throws in the second before Mettie and Brendan Young's shot from behind the arc fired things up for the Crusaders once more. Mettie then went on to score the Crusaders' next six points as MacLellan and Nunn did the rest with less than 10 minutes to go in regulation.

Mettie and Campbell then continued to take over right away as the finish line was within reach bookending a Devin Dunn three-pointer to inflate Madonna's lead to 77-47 as the Crusaders lead by as much as they had all season with 30. With just a few minutes to go, Eian Barker and Ryan McMullen sealed the deal and helped notch Madonna's eighth win of the season 87-70.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Mettie's 32 is the most points any Crusader has scored all season 
• Mettie also recorded a double-double with 11 rebounds. The team's second Crusader to do so this season
• Madonna was dominant in the paint with 52 points down low to the Cougars' 34
• With nine forced turnovers, the Crusaders piled on 16 points via Spring Arbor's mistakes as LePage and Young each had two, respectively

UP NEXT

The Crusaders host its second classic of the regular season at home with the Madonna Holiday Classic Presented by Aaron Cox Law on Friday, December 17 and Saturday, December 18 hosting Rochester University (Mich.), Central Methodist University (Mo.), and Graceland University (Iowa) as each team is promised two games. 

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