Cougars Outpaced by Trojans in Odle

UPLAND, Ind. — The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team (3-4, 0-2) traveled to Upland, Indiana on Saturday, November 23 to take on the Trojans of Taylor University (5-2, 1-1) in its second conference game of the season.

Taylor got off to a hot start, jumping out to a 16-9 lead five minutes into the game. The Cougars didn't quit and slowly began to chip away. MVNU claimed a 19-18 lead with 11:20 on the clock after a Bede Lori three. MVNU led the rest of the half and entered the break with a 38-29 lead after Trent Koning's jump shot as time expired in the first.

The second half started with a 7-0 run for Taylor, narrowing the MVNU lead to 38-36. Taylor continued to surge, claiming a 40-39 lead with 16:47 remaining. The hosts would not trail the rest of the way, using red-hot shooting to keep extending the lead. Taylor would shoot 83% and 69% from three in the second half in its 87-79 win at Odle Arena.

Inside the Box Score:

Koning – 28 points (10-14 FG, 6-8 3PT, 2-3 FT) 4 assists, 1 rebound.

Carter Jones – 21 points (8-12 FG, 2-4 3PT, 3-4 FT) 4 rebounds, 1 assist.

Bailey Conrad – 12 points (3-12 FG, 3-10 3PT, 3-4 FT) 2 rebounds, 1 assist.

Peyton Heiss – 5 points (1-6 FG, 3-4 FT) 4 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists.

Milton Gage – 5 points (2-5 FG, 1-2 FT) 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 rebound.

Coach Ronai's Thoughts:

"Thought we did a lot of good things throughout the game. Taylor is always a tough out inside of Odle. This young group has to learn to finish segments well and put a full 40 minutes together. They're learning valuable lessons. Looking forward to getting better on Monday."

What's Next:

The Cougars return to Ariel Arena on Tuesday, November 26 against the Tigers of Campbellsville University. The game will start at 11:00 a.m.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,100 students from 22 states and 21 foreign countries.