LIVONIA, Mich.-- Madonna rode a dominant night on the glass and a balanced offensive attack to a 93-73 home win over Defiance College (Ohio) on Wednesday night in Livonia, Mich., pulling away with a decisive surge spanning both halves.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Crusaders built a 48-32 halftime lead behind efficient shooting and second-chance opportunities, then maintained control after the break to outscore the Yellow Jackets 45-41 in the second half. Madonna finished 36-of-68 (52.9%) from the field and 9-of-23 (39.1%) from 3-point range while overwhelming Defiance 41-18 on the boards, including a 16-3 advantage in offensive rebounds. Madonna's largest lead reached 27 points as the hosts kept steady pressure on both ends.
Guard Joey Liedel paced Madonna with 22 points and seven rebounds, turning in an efficient 8-of-14 shooting line that included 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. Liedel also added four steals and did not commit a turnover in 28 minutes, helping key the Crusaders' perimeter pressure that forced 17 Defiance turnovers. Playmaker Makyle Doss orchestrated the offense with eight points and a team-high six assists, knocking down a 3-pointer and going 3-of-4 at the line while chipping in two steals.
After an early back-and-forth stretch that saw the game tied 27-27 on a Donovan Stone 3-pointer for Defiance with 6:36 left in the first quarter, Madonna closed the half on a dominating run. The Crusaders tightened defensively and turned stops into transition chances, closing on a 21-5 spurt capped by two Liedel free throws in the final minute to make it 48-32 at halftime. Madonna's work on the glass was a key separator during that stretch, as repeated offensive rebounds extended possessions and wore down the visitors.
Madonna carried that momentum into the second half. Just 35 seconds into the third quarter, Koby Christopher drilled a 3-pointer off a feed from Mario Johnson to push the lead past 20 at 51-32. Liedel later buried a 3-pointer with 14:10 remaining to stretch the margin to 69-42, underscoring the Crusaders' ability to answer every Defiance push with timely perimeter shooting. Madonna also converted 12-of-16 free throws (75.0%), preventing any serious comeback attempt once the game entered its late stages.
Defiance was led by Evan Angstmann, who poured in a game-high 24 points to go with seven rebounds, three blocks and a 4-of-9 effort from 3-point range. Stone added 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including three 3-pointers, while Christian Burton posted 16 points, eight assists and five steals in 33 minutes. The Yellow Jackets shot a solid 44.4% (28-of-63) from the field and 37.5% (9-of-24) from deep, but the significant rebounding deficit and Madonna's 52-30 edge in points in the paint proved too much to overcome.

Madonna's bench also provided a lift, outscoring Defiance's reserves 30-18 and helping maintain the intensity when starters rested. The Crusaders closed the scoring on a late layup by Jermaine Davis off a Doss assist with 19 seconds remaining, sealing a complete team win built on efficiency, depth and a commanding presence on the boards.

UP NEXT:
The Crusaders will be back in action on Saturday, February 14th as they travel to Fort Wayne, Indiana to take on RV Indiana Tech University. Tip-off is set for 3:00 PM.