Crusaders News
Bookmark and Share
Posted by Patrick Moore - Men's Basketball - Sat, Jan 30, 2010
Kevin Henry
Kevin Henry
Site: Adrian, Mich. (SH Fieldhouse)
Score: Siena Heights University 65, Madonna University 62
Records: MU 4-19 (1-7 WHAC); SHU 19-5 (6-2 WHAC)
Next MU event: Wednesday February 3 vs. Aquinas (Activities Center)

BOX SCORE

ADRIAN, Mich. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - -The Madonna University men's basketball team put a scare into the No. 18-ranked Siena Heights University Saints on Saturday night (Jan. 30) but in the end, the Saints slipped by the Crusaders with a 65-62 win inside the SHU Fieldhouse.

Freshman Kevin Henry (Toledo, Ohio) led MU with a game-high 22 points - his sixth 20-plus point game of the season - and four rebounds. Senior Leroy Allen (Detroit, Mich.) added 20 markers and a game-high nine rebounds for the Crusaders. Chris Lemm led SHU with 20 points in the win.

After MU had build a 9-3 lead early, SHU came back by using an 8-2 run to tie the game at 11-all with 14:08 to go in the half. The two sides traded scores to force the game into another tie, this one at 16-16 with 11:19 to go.

After the Crusaders took a 17-16 lead on a free throw from Bryant Slaughter (Westland, Mich.) the Saints went on a 9-2 run to go on top by six at 25-19 with 8:10 left in the half. SHU kept the lead the rest of the half, allowing MU to get with in three at 28-26, but not any close, and took a 36-31 lead into the locker room.

Coming out of the intermission the two sides traded scores over the first 11 minutes, allowing SHU to maintain its lead, eventually pushing it out to as much as nine at 53-44 with 8:59 left in the game.

MU then started a 10-0 run to put the visitors on top 54-53 thanks to buckets from Henry, Slaughter and Allen, with Allen's starting an old-fashioned three point play to put MU in front.  

The two teams traded scores again before a free throw from junior Ryan Waidmann (Canton, Mich.) forced the fifth tie of the game, this one at 57-all with 3:23 left. SHU came down on the next trip and Brent Reynolds gave the Saints the lead back for good on a jumper for a 59-57 lead.

A Henry jumper pulled the Crusaders to with in one at 63-62 with 1:44 to go. Neither side could convert from the floor over the next 1:30 to set up Henry with a chance to put the Crusaders on top. Henry drove the lane and was whistled for an offensive foul. On the ensuing play MU was forced to foul and Reynolds converted both free throws to put SHU on top 65-62 with three seconds left. Slaughter was able to get a good look on a potential game-tying three but it ball rimmed out, allowing Siena Heights to escape with the 65-62 win.

The Crusaders will look to get back on track on Wednesday night (Feb. 3) as the second half of a Madonna vs. Aquinas basketball double header. The women's teams get the night started at 5:30pm with the men slated to tip at 7:30pm.

QUOTES
Head Coach Noel Emenhiser
On the way his team performed tonight:
"I'm so proud of the way our guys played tonight. Coming into Siena Heights - a notoriiuosly difficult place to play and facing an excellent team the way they are - and having to force them into everything they got, I'm impressed with the way that we worked defensively and the way that we worked, never quit and the guys worked their butts' off tonight."

On the positives his squad can take from the loss:
"I think that we've shown to ourselves - and it doesn't matter what others think - that we are capable of playing a really high quality game of basketball and that when we play together and make the right plays at the right times, the unselfish plays, we are a good team regardless of our record. If we build on that as opposed to playing a good game and then taking a step back, if we get a little consistency, we could be peaking at the right time of the year."

On the game senior Leroy Allen had tonight:
"Leroy played like you want seniors to play. He put himself in a position to make plays, he got rebounds, made free throws and played with heart and intensity. It was an unselfish effort and that's all you can ask for out of your senior captains."

Contact: Patrick Moore (734) 432-5834