MEN'S BASKETBALL UPCOMING:
Friday, December 17 @ 7:00 PM vs. Graceland University (Iowa)
Saturday, December 18 @ 2:00 PM vs. Central Methodist University (Mo.)
Monday, December 20 @ 3:30 pm vs. Huntington University (Ind.)

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL UPCOMING:
Monday, December 20 @ 5:30 PM vs. University of Saint Francis (Ind.) 

HOME GAME TICKETS / MASK POLICY: All Madonna University Men's and Women's Basketball home game tickets can be purchased here in partnership with Hometown Ticketing. All visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of time using the link. All visitors are required to wear masks inside the Alliance Catholic Credit Union Arena at all times regardless of vaccination status. Only student-athletes and coaches who are vaccinated are not required to wear masks during the frame of competition.

WATCH / LIVE STATS: Madonna's home contests this coming Wednesday can be watched here along with live stats for each game here.
LAST TIME OUT: On Tuesday, the Crusaders were on the road to take on the Cougars of Spring Arbor University. Madonna dominated inside as they scored 52 points in the paint and because of that, the Crusaders shot 50.7% from the field for the entire game. The Crusaders' defense showed up as well. Forcing 12 turnovers and holding the Cougars to 27% shooting from behind the three point line. The Crusaders also had 38 bench points thanks to Noah Campbell who had 12 and Matthew McLellan who had 11. 

Mark Mettie had had a big night as he led the Crusaders with 32 points and 11 rebounds on 60.8% shooting. Mettie is now closeing in on 1,000 career points as he sits at 955 after Tuesday's game. 

SCOUTING GU: The Yellowjackets of Graceland University are sitting at a 3-10 record this season. The Crusaders and the Yellowjackets have a similar opponent this season in Goshen College (Ind.) This Crusaders played them back in mid November and came away with a 83-81 win. When the Yellowjackets played Goshen, they fell short 84-79, in that game they were led by #10 Carson Newsome who had 19 points on 6-19 shooting and four rebounds. #22 Seth Compas finished with 16 points and four rebounds. In their most recent game, they took on Missouri Valley College and lost 89-71. In that game they were led by #1 Khyle Washington who had a great game with 15 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and five steals. #22 Seth Compas had 12 points, three rebounds, and a block. #11 Gabe Robinson came off the bench and had 15 points on 5-15 shooting, he also went 4-12 from distance. 

SCOUTING CMU: The Eagles of Central Methodist University are 11-2 on the year thus far. The Eagles two losses come from  Bluefield (Tenn.) 90-81 and Evangel Valor 65-64. On November 20th they played an exhibition game against the BYU Cougars and lost 97-61. In that game, #20 Jonathan Brown scored 24 points on 7-11 shooting. #11 Isaiah May finished with 10 points and six rebounds. #3 Tim Cameron also had 10 points, three rebounds and three assists. On the year, #20 Brown is their leading scorer averaging 18.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Two games ago, Brown scored a season-high 35 points and eight rebounds in a 79-73 win against William Penn.  #3 Tim Cameron is averaging 14.1 points, 6.5 rebounds 4.3 assists, and 3.0 steals this season. The 6'4" Senior has a season-high of 24 points and has done it twice, once against Avila and the other against Bluefield. Next is #23 Fode Camara, the 6'6" Redshirt Senior is averaging 10.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.6 steals. Camara's best game this season was against the University of Health Sciences and Parmacy where he had 18 points, 16 rebounds, and three steals.

SCOUTING HU: The Foresters of Huntington are sitting at a 10-3 record this season. The Foresters and Crusaders have multiple similar opponents in Siena Heights and Spring Arbor. In those games, Huntington beat them both as well, Siena Heights 87-71 and Spring Arbor 80-75 (OT).  In the Siena Heights game, #3 Ben Humrichous led the Foresters with 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals. #11 Hank Pulver had 15 points, six rebounds, one steal, and one block. Both #2 Peyton West and #4 Caleb Middlesworth had 14 points, West however pulled down nine rebounds. In the game against Spring Arbor, #55 Zach Goodline had 26 points, two rebounds, and two steals. #3 Ben Humrichous had 18 points, four rebounds, two steals, and three blocks. #11 Hank Puverwas the last Forester in double figures with 14 points on 6-10 shooting. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: After 12 games played, Mettie is the team's leading scorer with 20.6 and is tied for first on the team for rebounds with 6.3 per game.Ethan Emerzian is averaging 10.3 points on 46.9% shooting from the field and 44.0% from distance. Jordan Graham is averaging 9.4 points per game, and three games ago put up 30 points against LTU. Devin Dunn is playing great basketball as of late and is leading the team in assists with 3.6 per game and also averaging 7.3 points. 
LAST TIME OUT: The Madonna University Women's team snapped their three game losing streak with a 57-40 win over Spring Arbor University (Mich.) April Hudelson got things started for the Crusaders as she scored all seven points in the first quarter for Madonna. Despite Hudelson's effort in the first the Crusaders struggled from the field going 3-15 from the field and found themselves trailing 10-7 after one.In the second, the Crusaders were struggling to find their shot once more. This time shooting 30% on 4-13 shooting. However, their defense stepped up when it mattered the most and held SAU to the exact same shooting percentage, 30% on 4-13 shooting. The Cougars would take a 20-17 lead into the half. To start the third, Madonna would go on an 11-1 run to take a 28-21 lead. Once again, the Crusader defense stepped up big causing seven Cougar turnovers. Hudelson and Paige Boden both led the Crusaders in the quarter with six points each and Madonna would lead 38-34 after three.The Crusaders' defense was even better in the fourth, holding SAU to 25% shooting on 3-12 shooting and causing nine turnovers. Madonna would outscore the Cougars 19-6 in the fourth to win 57-40.

Hudelson led all players with a season-high 23 points and 10 rebounds. Megan Aho had an all around game with eight points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and six steals. Sharon Woodard finished with six points, five rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Boden ended the game with six points and three blocks. 

SCOUTING USF: The Cougars are sitting at a 6-5 record and coming off a 63-60 win in overtime against Governors State. In that game, Saint Francis had three players in double figures and were led by #20 Meleah Kunkel with 20 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. #4 Cassidy Crawford finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. #1 Emily Parrett had 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists. In a 81-70 loss against No.13 Indiana Wesleyan they were led by #22 Reganne Pate with 16 points, 4-8 3pt, #20 Kunkel had 12 points and three rebounds. #4 Crawford had 11 points, six rebounds and three blocks. In both of those games, they shot a combined 8-39 from distance for roughly 20%.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Through 15 games thus far, the Crusaders are led by Megan Aho who is leading the Crusaders in points (15.7), rebounds (8.3), assists (5.1), and steals (3.1). Sharon Woodard is having a great junior season so far averaging 13.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists a game. Senior April Hudelson is averaging 11.8 points and 7.3 rebounds. 

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