Box Score

The Malone University men's basketball team collected a 71-57 home win over GLIAC opponent Lake Erie College on Thursday to snap a three-game losing skid.  With the victory, the Pioneers improved to 10-10 overall and to 8-8 in the GLIAC while the Storm dropped to 9-13 and 6-10 in conference play.

A tightly-contested first half saw the hosts open up several four-point leads and then a five-point lead, at 24-19 with 2:56 remaining, before the visitors went on a 9-3 run to close out the first half and grab a 28-27 halftime lead over Malone.

In the final stanza, the Pioneers' shooting percentage increased tremendously, to an impressive 65.4% for the second half and a stellar 70.0% (7 of 10) from long range, which catapulted Malone to victory.  The hosts slowly and steadily pulled away in that final period, leading by as many as 18 points late in the game, before securing the 14-point 71-57 win.

Guard Christian Graves finished with a team-high 17 points, including a 5-for-7 effort from long range, and added four rebounds.  Guard Isiah Elliott dropped 16 points of his own and led the Pioneers in assists with six while adding four rebounds.  Forward Cory Veldhuizen added nine points and a team-high nine rebounds, just a point and a rebound shy of a double –double.  In addition, center Daniel Wise was a huge contributor off the bench finishing six of six from the field and three for three from the line to provide 15 points to the Pioneer cause. He also grabbed five rebounds. 

For Lake Erie, Riley Thomas finished with 12 points and seven rebounds to lead the Storm in both categories while Garrick Sims added ten points.

The Pioneers shot a solid 27 of 55 from the field (49.1%) and an impressive percentage from behind the arc as they drained nine of 27 (42.9%).  The squad also managed to hit 100% from the line, shooting eight of eight.  Lake Erie shot 40.4% from the field, making 23 of 57 shots and converted five of 17 from deep (29.4%).  They also had a modest night at the line making six of nine (66.7%).   Malone held a 32-30 advantage in rebounds on the night.

Malone will be back in action on Saturday (Feb. 8) in another home conference contest when the squad hosts Ashland University (9-11, 6-9 GLIAC) in a 3:00 p.m. contest.  Live stats will be available for this contest.  NOTE:  The four newest inductees to the Malone Athletics Hall of Fame – Dave Drummond '93 (tennis), Christian Silveira '02 (football), Amy Stefansic '02 (basketball) and Megan (Young) Grafton '01 (soccer, track & field) – will be recognized at halftime.