No.9 Spring Arbor survives 2 OT Thriller over No.5 Mount Vernon Nazarene University 90-85
(9)SPRING ARBOR (5)MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE UNIVERSITY
Spring Arbor (Mich.) (16-3, 6-1 CL) 29 40 6 15 90
Mount Vernon Nazarene (Oh 16-3, 4-3 CL) 31 38 6 10 85
Jan. 8, 2019
Mount Vernon, OH
SPRING ARBOR (MICH.) INDV. LEADERS MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE (OH
#30 Jeff Beckman – 22 Points #20 Brett Vipperman – 23
2 Players (#23,#30) – 12 Rebounds #15 Austin Jones – 8
#11 Paul Marandet – 6 Assists 2 Players (#11,#20) – 4
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – The No. 8 ranked Spring Arbor University men’s basketball team survived a double overtime battle on the road with No. 5 Mount Vernon Nazarene University to come away with a 90-85 win and remain alone at the top of the Crossroads League standings.
Jeff Beckman led the way for the Cougars with a career-high 22 points and 12 rebounds while Brandon Durnell also posted a double-double with 18 points and 12 boards.
The win was SAU’s fifth over an opponent ranked or receiving votes in the top 25 poll this season, and the third over a top-five team.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: No. 8 Spring Arbor 90, No. 5 Mount Vernon Nazarene
LOCATION: Ariel Arena | Mount Vernon, Ohio
RECORDS: Spring Arbor 16-3 (5-1 CL), Mount Vernon Nazarene 16-3 (4-3 CL)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mount Vernon Nazarene led by nine late in the first half, but Spring Arbor outscored the home team 7-0 over the final 2:29 of the period to close the gap to two, 31-29, at halftime.
It was a back-and-forth battle the rest of the way between two of the nation’s top teams with no team ever leading by more than six.
A go-ahead bucket by Durnell gave SAU a two point lead with 49 seconds to play in regulation, but MVNU’s Brett Vipperman answered on the other end to force overtime.
In the first extra period, Spring Arbor, again, held a two point advantage in the closing seconds before MVNU rallied to tie the score. Paul Marandet had a chance at a game-winning basket before the buzzer, but his shot from in close would not fall.
In the second overtime, an early three-pointer from Luke Barber put the Cougars in front for good. Spring Arbor put the game away at the free throw line going 6-for-6 from the charity stripe down the stretch.
FOR SPRING ARBOR
Beckman was 8-for-13 from the floor and 6-for-7 at the free throw line on his way to a career-high 22 points. He also hauled in 12 rebounds for his team-leading fifth double-double of the season.
Durnell recorded his fourth double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. He made a living at the free throw line going a perfect 9-for-9 – career-high in free throws made.
Four other Cougars also scored in double figures, including Barber, who finished with 16. Payton DeWildt finished with 13 points off the bench while Marandet had 11 points and six assists and Tom Hamilton had 10 points and five assists.
Spring Arbor shot 44 percent (30-for-69) on the night, including a 5-for-21 mark from behind the three-point line. After a sluggish first half, which saw the Cougars shoot 36 percent, the team shot 50 percent the rest of the way.
The Cougars held a big advantage at the free throw line going 25-for-29 while MVNU was just 6-for-11.
FOR MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE
Five MVNU players reached double-digits in the scoring column. Brett Vipperman had a game-high 23 points while Austin Jones and Jevon Knox finished with 14 apiece.
Mount Vernon Nazarene connected on 49 percent (35-for-72) of its field goal attempts while hitting nine three’s.
SPRING ARBOR (MICH.) INDV. LEADERS MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE (OH
#30 Jeff Beckman – 22 Points #20 Brett Vipperman – 23
2 Players (#23,#30) – 12 Rebounds #15 Austin Jones – 8
#11 Paul Marandet – 6 Assists 2 Players (#11,#20) – 4
UP NEXT
Spring Arbor returns home to host No. 16 Bethel College (15-4, 4-3 CL) on Saturday, Jan. 12 starting at 3 p.m.
