The Malone University men's basketball team closed out its 2014-15 season on Thursday night with a 91-75 loss at GLIAC rival Walsh University in the 51st annual Mayors' Cup game between the two schools.
 
With the loss, the Pioneers finished the season with an overall record of 11-17 and a 9-13 mark in the GLIAC while Walsh improved to 16-10 overall and to 12-10 in conference play.
 
In the first half, the contest was a tight affair with neither team leading by more than four points through the first 12 minutes of the game as the score was knotted at 27-all with just over eight minutes left in the period.  But over that next 8+ minute stretch, the hosts doubled up the score on the Pioneers 26-13 to take a 53-40 lead into the intermission.
 
In the final stanza, Malone was able to cut the lead to seven points, at 59-52, with just over 16 minutes left on a Ben Haraway jump shot but the Cavaliers would then post an 18-5 run to extend their lead to 77-57 with 10:16 left.  The Pioneers were unable to muster a rally, though, over the final 10 minutes as the hosts posted the final 91-75 win.
 
For Malone, guard Stephen O'Daniel III tossed in a team-best 21 points, including five three-point connections, to pace the Pioneers while also grabbing five rebounds. Center Brian Stone followed with 18 points with a very efficient 9-for-11 effort from the field. He also tied O'Daniel for most Pioneer rebounds with five.
 
Haraway contributed nine points and also dished out a team-high five assists while guard Nate Sheppard came off the bench to tally six points and four rebounds.
 
For Walsh, Jesse Hardin Jr. led all scorers with 29 points and also paced the team in rebounds.