After the visiting Eagles (1-1) scored the first two baskets of the game to take a quick 4-0 lead, MVNU (4-0) went on a 30-10 run to build a 30-14 advantage by the 9:13 mark of the first half. Junior guard Dan Borcherdt (left) led the surge with eight points, while junior guard Ben Falkenberg and junior wing Andy Francis both added six points apiece.

Ashland used an 18-7 run to pull within 37-32 with 4:04 left in the half as Bret Wackerly and Steve Gansey both scored five points and Kale Richardson and Scott Aston added four points apiece.

However, the Cougars closed the half on a 10-3 spurt to take a 47-35 lead at the break as junior forward Jadin Thomas scored four points and Borcherdt and junior forward Matt McKinley each nailed a three-pointer.

Borcherdt paced MVNU with 13 first-half points, while Francis, Thomas, Falkenberg, McKinley, and senior post Connor Gregg each chipped in with six points. The Cougars shot 48.6 percent from the field (18-for-37), 53.3 percent from three-point range (8-for-15), and 75.0 percent from the free throw line (3-for-4) while committing just three turnovers and forcing nine.

Wackerly, Gansey, and Brett Bartlett each scored eight first-half points for the Eagles, who posted a 21-20 rebounding advantage over the first 20 minutes. Ashland shot 39.4 percent from the field (13-for-33), 46.2 percent from three-point range (6-for-13), and 75.0 percent at the free throw line (3-for-4).

MVNU extended its lead back to 51-38 on a layup by Gregg less than two minutes into the second half. Then, with the Cougars holding a 56-45 advantage at the 15:57 mark, the Eagles went on a 14-2 run to regain the lead 59-58 with 11:55 left in the game. Richardson led the comeback with five points, while Tyler Rosenberger added four points.

Freshman guard Brandon Short (right) got MVNU headed back in the right direction with a three-pointer at the 11:19 mark to put the Cougars back in front 61-59, and the game went back and forth over the next six and a half minutes with three ties and three lead changes with the score knotted at 76-76 with 4:40 still on the clock.

A dunk by Gregg with 4:16 to go gave MVNU a 78-76 lead and started a 14-6 run to close the game as the Cougars were able to pull away down the stretch for the 90-82 victory to snap an 0-8 record against Ashland in the all-time series.

“I hesitate to say this too often, but this was a great win,” said MVNU head coach Scott Flemming. “We really played well as a team tonight. Everyone who saw action made a big contribution to this win. (Ashland) is a very good program and it took a special effort to play at their level. Every time that they made a run we responded.”

“Two things that really stand out is the fact that we only had seven turnovers and that we had 16 offensive rebounds,” Flemming added. “Many of those rebounds were converted into baskets. I’m very proud of how our players prepared for this game and how they executed the game plan.”

Borcherdt led the Cougars with a game-high 21 points as he went 8-for-12 from the field including 5-of-8 from three-point range to go along with five assists. The rest of the starting five (Falkenberg, Francis, Thomas, and Gregg) each added 14 points apiece to the balanced attack with Gregg (left) posting a double-double with a game-high 13 rebounds. Short tossed in seven points off the bench, while McKinley nailed a pair of big three-pointers off the bench as MVNU’s reserves out-scored the Eagles’ bench 13-6.

The Cougars shot 47.8 percent from the field (32-for-67), 50.0 percent from three-point range (13-for-26), and 72.2 percent from the free throw line (13-for-18). MVNU also finished with a 37-35 rebounding edge including 16-13 on the offensive end. Meanwhile, the Cougars forced 12 turnovers while only committing seven.

Richardson, Gansey, and Bartlett each finished with 17 points for Ashland, which also had all five starters in double figures. Wackerly tossed in 13 points, and Rosenberger tallied 12 points to go with eight rebounds. Richardson was the leading rebounder for the Eagles with 11 boards. Ashland shot 49.2 percent from the field (31-for-63), 38.1 percent from three-point range (8-for-21), and 80.0 percent at the free throw line (12-for-15).

The Cougars, who are ranked 19th in the NAIA Division II preseason poll, will not return to action until Tuesday, November 27, when MVNU will host the University of Northwestern Ohio in a non-conference game at 7:30 p.m.