Site: Grand Rapids, Mich. (Ford Fieldhouse)
Score: Aquinas College 74, Madonna University 67
Records: MU 3-14 (0-2 WHAC); AC 11-7 (1-1 WHAC)
Next MU event: Wednesday, January 13 at Davenport (Grand Rapids, Mich.)

BOX SCORE

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - - In its first road game of the 2010 calendar year, the Madonna University men's basketball team fell 74-67 to Aquinas College on Saturday (Jan. 9) inside Ford Fieldhouse. The loss is MU's second straight to open Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play and fifth straight on the road.

Junior Bryant Slaughter (Westland, Mich.) led the Crusaders with 17 points while freshman Kevin Henry (Toledo, Ohio) and junior Ryan Waidmann (Canton, Mich.) added 13 and 12 points respectively. Matt McDonald led all players with 19 points for Aquinas.

The Crusaders opened the game on an 8-1 run over the opening five minutes of the game before the Saints came back to even the contest at 8-all. The first half's theme of runs continued as Aquinas extended its game-tying run into a 20-3 run to go up by 10 at 21-11 just over the midway point in the opening half.

After falling behind by 10, the Crusaders made a run of their own - a 13-3 run - to tie the game at 24-all with five minutes left in the half. The two sides traded the lead back and forth until a three from sophomore Mitch Cieslak (Brighton, Mich.) gave Madonna a 32-29 lead. The Crusader lead grew to as many as six thanks to a trio of free throws from freshman Fred Williams (Oak Park, Mich.) but a bucket by Jamell Hatchett as time expired pulled Aquinas back to with in four and sent the teams to the locker room with MU in front 37-33.

Aquinas scored the first seven points of the half to retake the lead at 40-37. Scores from Slaughter and Waidmann gave Madonna a brief 41-40 lead but Hatchett's score with 18:31 left in the game gave Aquinas the lead back for good.

The Saints built their lead out to as many as 12 midway through the half and did not allow the Crusader to get closer than six points the rest of the way, taking the 74-67 decision.

The Crusader return to the court on Wednesday (Jan. 13), returning to Grand Rapids, to take on Davenport. Tip-off with the No. 19-ranked Panthers is set for 7:30 inside the DU Student Center.

NOTES
* Madonna is now 7-25 all-time against Aquinas.
* The loss is MU's third straight to the Saints.
* Madonna falls to 1-7 on the road this season.
* MU is now 2-4 this season when scoring 65 or more points in a game.
* Ryan Waidmann reached double figures for the third time this season.
* Kevin Henry has now reached double figures in 11 games this season.
* The Madonna starting five accounted for 46 of MU's 67 points.

Contact: Patrick Moore (734) 432-5834