The host Yellow Jackets (16-6, 6-3 AMC South) jumped out to an early 15-8 lead over the first five minutes of the game as Ryan Short scored seven points and Grant Walker added five points.

Then, MVNU (17-5, 5-4 AMC South), which is ranked No. 12 in the most recent NAIA Division II poll, used a 12-3 run to take a 20-18 advantage at the 11:08 mark on a three-point play by freshman guard Brandon Short (left). Short and junior forward Jadin Thomas both scored five points apiece during the Cougars’ surge.

From there, Cedarville closed the half on a 29-16 run of its own as the Yellow Jackets took a 47-36 lead to the locker room at the break. MVNU went just 2-for-8 from the field over the final five minutes of the half and 1-for-4 at the free throw line.

Thomas and junior guard Ben Falkenberg both scored 11 points in the first half to lead the Cougars, while Brandon Short added five points off the bench. MVNU shot 48.3 percent from the field (14-for-29), 38.5 percent from three-point range (5-for-13), and 50.0 percent at the free throw line (3-for-6). The Cougars were also out-rebounded 23-12 overall and 7-1 on the offensive end.

Ryan Short led Cedarville with 20 first-half points as he went 8-for-10 from the field including 3-for-4 from three-point range. Matt Harner also tossed in 12 points off the bench as he went 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. The Yellow Jackets shot 52.9 percent from the field (18-for-34), 50.0 percent from three-point range (9-for-18), and 50.0 percent at the free throw line (2-for-4).

MVNU pulled to within eight points twice early in the second half including 49-41 on a layup by Thomas at the 18:11 mark.

However, a quick 8-0 surge by Cedarville pushed the margin back to 57-41 with 15:54 to play as Harner hit another trey, Ryan Short converted a three-point play, and Daniel Rose slammed home a dunk.

Eight straight points by Thomas (right) including a pair of three-pointers and a basket by sophomore post Bryce Sanborn sent the Cougars on a 10-0 run of their own to cut the deficit to 57-51 at the 12:38 mark as MVNU rallied to stay in the game.

The Yellow Jackets answered once again, though, as Cedarville went on an 18-6 spurt to take its biggest lead of the game at 75-57 with 5:23 remaining. Chris Beals scored all but two of the points during the surge as he hit a trio of treys and also converted a three-point play on the way to 16 points in the span of 6:09.

The Cougars were able to pull within 82-72 on a jumper by junior forward Matt McKinley with 1:33 to go, but a turnover and two straight missed field goal attempts kept MVNU from pulling any closer as the Yellow Jackets prevailed 86-74.

"I thought we battled tonight, but we made too many mental mistakes on both ends,” said head coach Scott Flemming. "I was proud of our effort to get back in the game in the second half. Jadin had a big night for us on the inside and on the perimeter. This was the kind of game where we needed all of our players to step up. (Cedarville) shot lights out in the first half. We controlled the defensive end better in the second half, but we just could not come all the way back.”

Thomas finished with a career-high 26 points to lead the Cougars as he went 10-of-19 from the field and 4-for-8 from three-point range. Falkenberg was the lone other MVNU player to reach double figures as he tossed in 14 points. Junior wing Andy Francis added eight points, while Brandon Short finished with seven points off the bench. Junior guard Dan Borcherdt also grabbed a career-high six rebounds to go with six points. The Cougars shot 42.2 percent from the field (27-for-64), 38.7 percent from three-point range (12-for-31), and 66.7 percent from the free throw line (8-for-12).

Ryan Short led the Yellow Jackets with 30 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, while Beals finished with 19 points. Harner added a career-high 15 points off the bench as he went 5-for-5 from three-point range, and Rose tallied eight points and six rebounds. Cedarville shot 50.8 percent from the field (31-for-61), 48.1 percent from three-point range (13-for-27), and 57.9 percent from the free throw line (11-for-19). The Yellow Jackets also ended up with a 40-34 rebounding advantage.

MVNU will look to bounce back on Thursday when the Cougars entertain Houghton (N.Y.) College at 7:00 p.m. in the final non-conference game of the season. This game was originally scheduled for December 17, but was postponed due to bad weather.