LIVONIA, Mich.-- Madonna University used a blistering shooting performance and a dominant stretch on both ends of the floor to defeat Aquinas (MI) 95-85 on Thursday night in Livonia, Mich. The Crusaders shot 62.3% from the field and built a lead as large as 27 points in the second half before holding off a late Saints surge to secure the 10-point win.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
The decisive stretch came on each side of halftime. Madonna closed the first half with a 50-37 advantage, then opened the second half by repeatedly attacking the rim and pushing the pace. A fastbreak layup from DeAntwan Randall less than a minute into the half, followed by a 3-pointer from Makyle Doss that made it 61-41, set the tone for a dominant third-quarter-style surge. By the 5:56 mark, Koby Christopher's tip-in had the Crusaders in front 86-59, capping a run that gave Madonna full control.
Guard Ahmoni Weston led Madonna with 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting, adding seven assists and going 6-of-7 at the free-throw line in 25 minutes. Randall was nearly flawless from the field, finishing with 24 points on 11-of-12 shooting to go with nine rebounds and a block in just 19 minutes. The duo set the tone early, as Randall scored the game's opening basket on a layup assisted by Mario Johnson to put Madonna up 2-0, and the Crusaders never trailed.
Madonna's offense clicked inside and out, with the Crusaders going 38-for-61 from the floor and 8-for-19 (42.1%) from 3-point range. The hosts also controlled the glass with a 39-23 rebounding edge, including 32 defensive boards that limited Aquinas to one shot on many possessions. Nineteen team assists highlighted the ball movement that fueled the hot shooting night.Aquinas stayed within range in the first half behind the play of guard Devon Boyd, whose jumper in the closing seconds of the first quarter made it 50-37 at the break. Boyd finished with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, adding three assists and two steals in 31 minutes. Tjay Jones added 16 points and four rebounds, while forward Caden Pokorzynski contributed 11 points, eight rebounds and a block over 31 minutes as the Saints tried to keep pace.
The Saints made their strongest push late in the second half after falling behind by 27. Trailing 93-76, Aquinas got a 3-pointer from Samuel Jacobs with 2:31 remaining to trim the margin to 14 and spark a closing run. Jacob Howard then connected on a 3-pointer in the final second to bring the final score to 95-85. Aquinas finished at 43.7% shooting (31-for-71) and went 7-for-23 from beyond the arc while converting 16 of 19 free throws.
Despite the late Aquinas surge, Madonna's early work on both ends of the floor proved enough to deliver the home victory.

UP NEXT:
With efficient scoring from Weston and Randall, strong rebounding and balanced perimeter shooting, the Crusaders turned a fast start into a wire-to-wire win and a convincing offensive statement in Livonia. The Crusaders will be back in action for the WHAC Tournament semifinal at home against Lourdes University on Saturday, February 28th. Tip-off is set for 3:00 PM.