SF Survives Overtime Thriller, Tops MVNU 107–103
| Final | 1 | 2 | OT | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mount Vernon Nazarene (OH) (12-8, 4-6) | 41 | 49 | 13 | 103 |
|
Saint Francis (Ind.) (8-11, 3-7) | 41 | 49 | 17 | 107 |
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The University of Saint Francis (Ind.) men's basketball team picked up a thrilling 107–103 overtime victory over Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Saturday, January 24, at the Hutzell Athletic Center.
After a back-and-forth first half that saw the score tied at 41-41, SF and MVNU continued to battle in the second half but were deadlocked after regulation at 90-90. Saint Francis responded in overtime by outscoring MVNU 17–13 to secure the hard-fought victory. With the win, the SF Cougars improved to 3-7 in Crossroads League action while MVNU fell to 4-6 in league play.
The SF Cougars shot 53.2% (41-77) from the field and knocked down 11 three-pointers. Saint Francis also came up big in key moments, capitalizing by scoring 31 points off turnovers. Marr Avance led SF with a game-high 30 points on 11-17 shooting, including four three-pointers. Malachi King added 26 points and Jevon Lewis chipped in 17 points to give the Cougars three players in double figures. Eugene Young Jr. and Karson Rogers each added 9 points, while Braeden Messenger contributed 8.
Next up, Saint Francis (8-11, 3-7 CL) travels to No. 1 Grace College on Wednesday, January 28. In their first meeting of the season, the Lancers beat the Cougars 109-76.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 21 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.
