one final moni
91
Winner Southeastern SEU 0
80
Madonna MADONN 0
Winner
Southeastern SEU
0
91
Final
80
Madonna MADONN
0
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Southeastern SEU 47 44 91
Madonna MADONN 46 34 80

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Liedel’s 28 Not Enough as Madonna Falls 91-80 in the First Round of the NAIA Tournament

WINONA LAKE, Ind.-- Madonna University battled wire to wire but could not slow a hot-shooting Southeastern side in a 91-80 loss Friday night at the MOCC. The Crusaders trailed just 47-46 at halftime and briefly grabbed the lead early in the second half before a decisive stretch of Southeastern interior scoring and late shot-making created the final margin.

Joey Liedel powered Madonna's offense with 28 points and eight rebounds, keeping the Crusaders in contention deep into the second half. Trailing by one at the break, Madonna opened the final 20 minutes with a quick surge, and Liedel drilled a 3-pointer just 24 seconds into the half to put the Crusaders ahead 49-48. That sequence underscored a back-and-forth contest in which Madonna repeatedly answered Southeastern's runs before the visitors finally created separation in the closing minutes.
Southeastern steadily gained control behind its efficiency in the paint and on the break. The visitors finished 36-for-70 from the field (51.4%) and outscored Madonna 54-42 in the lane, using their size and athleticism to generate high-percentage looks. A fast-break dunk by Daivion Traylor with 14:23 remaining pushed the lead to 61-57 and highlighted a key second-half stretch in which Southeastern turned defensive stops into transition points. Madonna, which shot 42.3% from the floor (30-for-71), remained within striking distance but was forced to work against a set defense more often.

The Crusaders had their own moments in transition and from beyond the arc. Liedel hit a fast-break 3-pointer midway through the first half to give Madonna a 26-24 edge, part of a 5-for-12 performance from deep for the guard. Makyle Doss added 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists, helping Madonna to a slight 19-18 edge in bench production. Madonna also generated 22 fast-break points to Southeastern's 18 and collected 13 offensive rebounds, creating second chances that kept the game close into the final four minutes.
Defensively, Madonna produced seven steals and forced nine turnovers, but Southeastern consistently answered key Crusader pushes. The turning point came in the closing stretch when, protecting a two-possession lead, Southeastern's Anthony Kangah buried a 3-pointer with 3:38 to play to make it 83-76. From there, Madonna was unable to string together the necessary stops, and Southeastern closed it out at the line as Jayson Nixon sank two free throws in the final minute for the 91-80 final.
Individually, Liedel's stat line headlined the Crusaders' night as he finished 10-for-26 from the field with three assists to go with his 28 points and eight boards. Doss provided efficient scoring at 4-for-7 from the floor, including 2-for-4 from 3-point range, while also contributing on the glass. As a group, Madonna connected on eight 3-pointers and shared the ball effectively with 19 assists on 30 made field goals, reflecting a balanced offensive approach despite the result.

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The Crusaders will return for the 2026-2027 season.
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