After the teams traded baskets on the first two possessions of the game, the Cougars (12-5, 2-1 AMC) hit four straight three-pointers - two by senior guard Ben Falkenberg - and added a layup by junior wing Travis Brown (left) to cap a 14-0 run that put MVNU on top 16-2 at the 14:16 mark.

The lead grew to 31-15 with 6:31 left in the half, but the visiting Raiders (8-6, 0-3 AMC) went on a 16-6 run to whittle the lead down to 37-31 with 1:19 remaining before the break. Nick Bozelli led the surge with 10 points, while Jacob Russell and Mark Saladzuis each nailed a three-pointer.

Three turnovers and two missed shots kept Roberts Wesleyan from getting any closer, and Brown hit a layup with 10 seconds to go to put the Cougars on top 39-31 as the teams went to their locker rooms at the half.

Borcherdt led MVNU with nine points in the first half, while senior forward Matt McKinley added seven points off the bench. The Cougars shot 44.1 percent from the field (15-for-34), 35.0 percent from three-point range (7-for-20), and 50.0 percent at the free throw line (2-for-4). MVNU also took care of the basketball with just four turnovers, but they were out-rebounded 31-20.

Bozelli led the Raiders with 10 first-half points, while Russell tossed in eight points. Roberts Wesleyan shot 28.2 percent from the field (11-for-39), 44.4 percent from three-point range (4-for-9), and 55.6 percent from the free throw line (5-for-9). The Raiders also grabbed 16 offensive rebounds to help offset seven first-half turnovers.

The first six minutes of the second half went back and forth with the Cougars maintaining their eight-point halftime margin with the score standing at 48-40 at the 14:19 mark.

Then, MVNU used a 26-6 run over the next seven and a half minutes to take control of the game 74-46 with 6:40 to play as McKinley capped the run with a three-pointer. Falkenberg hit a trio of treys during the surge while also adding a basket for 11 points.

From there, the Cougars closed out the game and posted the 80-61 victory as MVNU was able to post its second straight conference win.

“We started strong tonight and then struggled to end the first half,” said MVNU coach Scott Flemming. “Injuries and foul trouble definitely played a role in this game. Losing two main players (Brandon Short and Andy Francis) at the same position significantly changes our rotation.”

“(Roberts Wesleyan) really hurt us on the offensive boards in the first half,” Flemming added. “It didn’t help to have Jadin and Bryce sitting down with foul trouble. Dan and Ben really shot the ball well tonight. It seemed like every time Roberts Wesleyan tried to come back one of them would hit a big three. It was important to get these two victories this weekend.”

Falkenberg led MVNU with a game-high 20 points as he went 5-for-7 from three-point range. Borcherdt added 19 points and was 5-for-9 from beyond the arc, and Thomas, who had four fouls, posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. McKinley (right) also tossed in 10 points off the bench before fouling out, and junior post Bryce Sanborn registered six points and five rebounds despite having four fouls. The Cougars shot 42.4 percent from the field (28-for-66), 45.2 percent from three-point range (14-for-31), and 66.7 percent from the free throw line (10-for-15).

Bozelli led the Raiders with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Russell added 12 points off the bench. Justin Andreozzi finished with 10 points, and Saladzius contributed nine points and eight assists. Roberts Wesleyan shot 31.3 percent from the field (21-for-67), 52.9 percent from three-point range (9-for-17), and 62.5 percent from the free throw line (10-for-16). The Raiders also won the battle of the boards 53-37, but they committed 21 turnovers to just 10 for MVNU.

The Cougars will return to action on Tuesday with the much-anticipated match-up with No. 5 Cedarville University. The AMC contest will tip off at 7:30 p.m.