Box Score

Site: Grand Rapids, Mich. (Mol Arena)
Score: Madonna 82, No. 24 Cornerstone 80
Records: MU (13-10, 7-4 WHAC), CU (13-10, 7-4 WHAC)
Next MU event: Saturday, Jan. 28 – at UM-Dearborn (Dearborn, Mich.), 7:00 p.m.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - - The Madonna University men's basketball team made program history again on Wednesday night (Jan. 25) as senior Tyler Coker (Whitmore Lake, Mich. / Whitmore Lake) hit a layup with six seconds left to give the Crusaders an 82-80 upset road victory over reigning NAIA Division II National Champion and No. 24-ranked Cornerstone University at Mol Arena. The win gives MU its first-ever sweep of Cornerstone in the 19-year history of the program.

The Crusaders have now pulled off three upsets of nationally ranked teams, including a pair on the road (at No. 7 Indiana Tech on Nov. 30). The victory also comes on the heels of MU's 73-65 upset of No. 15 Indiana Tech on Saturday (Jan. 21) that completed a season sweep of the Warriors. Tonight's win also moves MU into a three-way tie for third in the ever tightening race for home court advantage in the upcoming WHAC Tournament.

MU (13-10, 7-4 Wolverine-Hoosier) outshot CU 51.7 percent (31-of-60) to 41.3 percent (26-of-63) and claimed a 52.9 (9-of-17) to 40.9 percent (9-of-22) edge from beyond the arc. The Golden Eagles did hold a drastic edge at the free throw line, knocking down 90.5 percent (19-of-21) of their shots compared to just 68.8 percent (11-of-16) for the Crusaders.

Coker was one of three Crusaders in double figures with a career-high in both points with 19 points and rebounds with 10 – including four on the offensive end - for his first double-double of the season. Sophomore guard Bobby Naubert (Livonia, Mich. / Stevenson) led all players with 22 points – helped by a perfect 3-of-3 night from 3-point land - while handing out a game-best nine assists and classmate Matt Jenkins (Plymouth, Mich. / Fr. Gabriel Richard Catholic) tied his career-best with 13 points. Junior forward Eoghann Stephens (Liss, England / Albion) led all players with 11 rebounds.

Coker's heroics were set up thanks to Cornerstone (13-10, 7-4 WHAC) rallying from down 11 points with 4:23 left in the game. CU went on a 14-3 run over the next 4:06 to pull even on a jumper from Wes Hudson with 17 seconds left to tie the game at 80-all and set up Coker's opportunity.

The Crusaders opened the game on a 21-9 run over the first 6:37 to claim their largest lead of the first half. Coker accounted for 12 of MU's first 21 points with sophomore guard Travis Schuba (Rapid City, Mich. / Kalkaska) adding five of his own including a 3-pointer. The Golden Eagles trimmed the deficit down to four points on two occasions but still trailed 47-40 at intermission.

Coming out of the break CU pulled within two, 47-45 but did not get any closer until the final minute as MU got eight points including a pair of triples from Naubert and three points from Jenkins to push the lead back out to 13, 60-47, with 15:07 to play.

MU kept its lead in double digits the next nine-plus minutes until a jumper from CU's Ty Mason trimmed the lead to nine, 75-66. Mason's jumper was part of CU's 18-5 run that eventually tied the game at 80.

Justin Yoder and Hudson led CU with 17 points each while Derek Kingshot and Possehl added 15 and 12 points respectively.

The Crusaders wrap up their two-game road trip with a 7:00 p.m. tipoff on Saturday at UM-Dearborn.

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Contact: Patrick Moore (734) 432-5834