Box Score
GOSHEN, Ind. – The Goshen College men's basketball team used a 10-0 run midway through the second-half to put away visiting University of St. Francis 80-62 Wednesday night.
The win gave the Maple Leafs a season sweep over the Cougars – Goshen knocked off St. Francis 101-71 in Fort Wayne on January 5th (click here for related article). It also snapped just the second losing streak of the year for the Maple Leafs at only two games.
"This was a solid win over a team that has been playing good basketball lately," commented Head Coach Gary Chupp. "I told our guys that we were going to see a much better team than the one we beat at their place earlier in the year - our guys came out focused and played with pretty good intensity for 40 minutes."
St. Francis opened the game with a intense, high-pressure defense that forced a pair of turnovers by Goshen in the opening minute and a half. The Cougars capitalized on the Goshen mistakes with buckets by Aaron Gardner and Matt Edmonds to take an early 6-3 lead two minutes in.
That would prove to be the one and only lead as Errick McCollum quickly tied up the game with a long 3-pointer. McCollum would finish the game shooting 9-of-15 from the field and notched a game-high 25 points.
Goshen maintained their first half lead thanks to hot-shooting from beyond the arch. The Maple Leafs hit 6-of-10 from long-range in the half led by freshman Scott Bruggeman who was a perfect three-for-three.
After Matt Webb hit a three to bring St. Francis within a point at 20-19, Goshen used a 12-0 run – highlighted by three consecutive baskets from junior Kyle Laker – to push their lead to thirteen.
Down 38-29 at the half, St. Francis tried to climb back into the game by capitalizing on their speed. The Cougar guards caused problems for the Maple Leaf defense at times as they cut in-and-out of the lane. St. Francis was able to pull within five in the second half after a pair of buckets by Nate Bojrab and Aaron Gardner.
Halfway through the second half, Goshen put an end to the Cougars chances as they went on a 10-0 run capped off with a three from Brice Hartman with 8:25 remaining. The run stretched the Maple Leafs' lead to sixteen points and the Cougars never again got closer than fourteen points.
"I was pleased with the production we got out of our point guard position tonight - Scotty (Bruggeman) started off the game knocking down three 3's in a row, and (Jeremy) Pope had some aggressive drives to the basket in the second half. Nate (West) was once again our defensive catalyst, making (Mike) Steinau earn everything he got."
Mike Steinau did lead St. Francis with 16 points, but shot just 5-of-11, while Gardner hit 4-of-6 from the field for 14 points.
Goshen got another big night from Hartman, who finished with 18 points off 8-of-13 shooting. Bruggeman tallied nine points, while Nate West Jr. and Laker each contributed eight.
The Maple Leafs have a chance to get back to the .500 mark in Mid-Central conference play, but will have to do it at first place Bethel on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. in Mishawaka.
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Soph. Errick McCollum