Crusaders vs Dordt
Andrew Knapik
Junior guard Isaac Anderson (0) celebrates with his teammates after icing the game and sending the Crusaders onto the second round of the NAIA National Tournament.
72
Dordt (IA) DORDT (I 19-11, 12-8
77
Winner Madonna MADONNA 26-6, 19-3
Dordt (IA) DORDT (I
19-11, 12-8
72
Final
77
Madonna MADONNA
26-6, 19-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Dordt (IA) DORDT (I 45 27 72
Madonna MADONNA 42 35 77

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Kellen Burke

Crusaders rally past Defenders in second-ever tournament win

LIVONIA, Mich. - After completing the best regular season in program history, the No. 5 seeded Madonna Crusaders returned to the court today for the first round of the NAIA National Tournament in their very own ACCU Arena. Hosting the National Tournament for the first time ever, the Crusaders faced the high-powered offense of the No. 12 seeded Dordt University Defenders. Both teams came out firing in the first half, posting nearly identical shooting splits through the first twenty-minutes of play. However, it was still the Defenders' game to lose, as they stayed steadily ahead of the Crusaders for nearly the entire game. In the final minutes with the season on the line, the Crusaders would rally ahead to force a late-game comeback. First team All-Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) guard Isaac Anderson would ice the game in the final minute, going 4-for-4 from the free throw line to propel the Crusaders into the second round of the Tournament. In the definition of a team win, with three Crusaders recording double-doubles, they took a 77-72 victory over the Defenders to secure the second NAIA National Tournament win in program history.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Defenders got off to an early six-point lead in the opening minutes of play. The Crusaders would cut the lead down to one possession and stay steadily on their heels, led by their first-team All-WHAC forward Brendan Young, who kept them in the game with 10 first-half points. However, the Defenders held on to the lead for a majority of the first half. 

It wasn't until there were just under six minutes remaining that the Crusaders would see their first lead of the day, as a three-pointer from senior guard Devin Dunn was followed up by a steal and then layup from all-conference center Matthew MacLellan. A mid-range jumpshot from all-conference guard Isaac Anderson put them up 33-30 with five minutes left in the half. However, the Defenders would go on a run and take back the lead before the halftime-buzzer. Despite shooting nearly 60-percent from the field as a team, the Crusaders would find themselves down 45-42 after twenty minutes of play.

Young would open up the half with a deep-three to cut into the Defenders' lead. However, the Defenders answered right back as they steadily held off the Crusaders for nearly the entire second half. It seemed like the Defenders just had their number, with four minutes remaining in play as the Crusaders hadn't seen a lead in nearly twenty-minutes of game time. 

Down by five with four minutes remaining in the game and potentially their season, the Crusaders finally found their rhythm as they made one last push to overtake the Defenders. A block by MacLellan led to a fast-break layup from junior guard Ethan Emerzian. A foul by the Defenders gave them the ball right back, as Anderson took advantage with a contested layup. A missed one-and-one free throw by the Defenders gave the Crusaders a golden opportunity, as Young finally gave them their first lead of the second half. With just over two minutes left to play, the Crusaders were up by one point with a chance to control their destiny.

With the clock winding down the Crusaders held on to their one-point lead. However, the Defenders would make them earn their win, sending Anderson to the line with thirty-seconds remaining. He drained both of them, but the Defenders were still just one possession away from taking the Crusaders to overtime. In the final second, the Defenders would send Anderson to the line once again to shoot the two most important free throws of the Crusaders' season. Showing off why he was the WHAC leader in free throws made this season, Anderson would ice the game with two clutch makes to keep the Crusaders dancing. Anderson sealed the 77-72 win over the Defenders in the Crusaders' home stadium and in front of their home crowd in the program's second-ever NAIA National Tournament victory.

INSIDE NUMBERS:
  • Young led the team with 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
  • Anderson scored 16 points with a team-leading 11 boards, and shot 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
  • MacLellan also scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while leading the team in assists with four.
UP NEXT: 

The Crusaders will face the No. 13 seeded Shawnee State University (Ohio) Bears in the second round of the NAIA National Tournament tomorrow at 4:00 pm, once again on their home court of ACCU Arena.

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