Box Score
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Goshen College men's basketball team will have to go on the road in the Mid-Central Conference Tournament in order to pick up their 20th win of the season after a tough 68-67 loss to host Marian College on Saturday afternoon.
The loss locks the Maple Leafs into the seventh seed for the tournament and will send them to #2 seed Grace College on Wednesday.
Both squads started the game a little slow as the only basket in the opening two minutes of the contest was a lay up by Brice Hartman as the teams felt each other out. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Nate West and Errick McCollum gave Goshen a 10-7 lead, but neither team was able to pull away in a seesaw first ten minutes.
The Maple Leafs would get a little sloppy late in the first half, turning the ball over five times in a five-minute stretch which saw the Knights take a 26-18 lead. Marian scored 22 points in the paint in the first half – to Goshen's four – as they took a 32-22 lead into the locker rooms.
"I told our guys this was a trap game - Marian has been playing everyone close, and they were going to play unbelievably hard on senior night," explained Head Coach Gary Chupp. "For whatever reason, we did not approach the first 20 minutes with any defensive urgency. We allowed them to get to the rim at will."
Regaining their composure at the half, the Maple Leafs would use a 14-0 run over just four minutes to take a five-point lead – their largest of the game. Hartman and Kyle Laker each hit a pair of shots to bring Goshen within one before back-to-back 3-pointers by McCollum and Scott Bruggeman capped the run.
The lead would not last long as JR Howell would hit two of his five threes on the afternoon leading Marian on a nine-point run to open a 50-41 advantage. The teams would trade long balls, while the Knights maintained a 62-55 lead with two and a half minutes to play.
"The first five minutes of the second half we turned a 10 point halftime deficit into a 5 point lead, but couldn't sustain that energy the rest of the half," added Chupp.
Goshen would climb back in as McCollum converted a three-point play after he was fouled on a made field goal attempt. Hartman then drained a three to pull the Maple Leafs within two at 63-61. Marian responded as a lay up and pair of free throws gave them a 67-61 lead with just 19 seconds on the clock.
Six seconds later McCollum was fouled on a 3-point attempt and promptly hit all three from the line to make it 67-64. A Goshen foul sent Heath Chamberlain to the line where he hit 1-of-2 before Brice Bow pulled the Maple Leafs within one as he hit from beyond the arch with five seconds to play. McCollum stole the Marian inbounds pass and put up a three at the buzzer, but it rimmed out giving Marian their first win of the conference season.
"It was obviously a disappointing end to the regular season, but now the focus shifts to the MCC tournament. Our guys know that we can play with anyone, but we have to give a more consistent effort."
McCollum led Goshen with 23 points, while Hartman added 12. Howell led four Knights in double-digits with 19 points off the bench.
Goshen will travel to Grace College for a 7 p.m. showdown in Winona Lake on Wednesday.
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