The host Yellow Jackets (22-2), who were playing their first game since moving to the top spot in the weekly poll, took an early 9-7 lead after the first three minutes as Grant Walker buried a pair of three-pointers and Christopher Walker converted a three-point play opportunity.

A 20-9 run by the visiting Cougars (15-7) over the next eight minutes put MVNU on top 27-18 with 9:10 left before the half. Borcherdt (left) drilled a trio of three-pointers, senior guard Ben Falkenberg added two treys, and senior forward Matt McKinley hit another trifecta as the Cougars went 6-of-8 from three-point range during the spurt.

Cedarville answered with a 15-2 run of its own to take a 33-29 lead with 3:42 remaining in the half. Grant Walker hit two more three-pointers and Chris Beals added a trey of his own to fuel the Yellow Jackets’ surge.

However, a three-pointer each from Borcherdt and Falkenberg along with a layup by senior wing Andy Francis helped MVNU take a 37-35 lead to the locker room at the break.

Borcherdt scorched the net in the first half with 15 points as he went 5-for-7 from three-point range. Falkenberg added nine points with a trio of treys, while senior forward Jadin Thomas tossed in eight points to go with four rebounds. The Cougars shot 51.9 percent from the field (14-for-27), 56.2 percent from three-point range (9-for-16), and missed all four of their free throw attempts.

Grant Walker led Cedarville with 12 first-half points as he went 4-for-6 from three-point range, while Matt Harner added five points. The Yellow Jackets shot 43.3 percent from the field (13-for-30), 42.9 percent from three-point range (6-for-14), and made all three of their free throws.

After a layup by Grant Walker knotted the score at 37-37 to start the second half, MVNU junior post Bryce Sanborn made back-to-back baskets and Borcherdt hit a three-pointer to give the Cougars a 44-37 advantage at the 14:20 mark. At one point, both teams went scoreless for 3:09 during that stretch.

A three-point play by Borcherdt, a trey by Thomas, and another three-point play by sophomore guard Brandon Short helped MVNU extend its lead to 53-44 with 11:01 remaining in the contest.

The Cougars still held a 61-52 advantage with 7:49 to play as Borcherdt hit two more threes to keep MVNU in the lead. However, once again, Cedarville made a run and regained the lead by out-scoring the Cougars 14-3 over the next four and a half minutes to take a 66-64 lead on a jumper by Ricardo Alliman with 3:04 still on the clock. Beals scored six points to lead the comeback.

A pair of free throws by Borcherdt with 2:54 to go knotted the score at 66-66. Following a pair of turnovers by the Yellow Jackets and a missed shot, MVNU moved back in front 72-66 on a basket each by Thomas and Borcherdt and two free throws by Francis with 39 seconds left.

Harner scored on a layup for Cedarville to make the score 72-68 with 23 seconds remaining, but Falkenberg and Borcherdt each went 2-for-2 at the line to ice the victory. Beals’ three-pointer with two seconds to go made the final score 76-71.

“We’ve had a lot of great wins through the years and this ranks right up there with them,” said MVNU coach Scott Flemming, who has now guided the Cougars to wins in two straight match-ups against No. 1 teams including in the second round of the 2006 NAIA Division II National Tournament against Embry-Riddle Aeronautical (Fla.) University. “I really felt like we were focused going into the game. We shot the ball well and Dan led the way. Although it was a great team effort, Dan carried us at times. It was great to see such an unselfish player have his night. We’ll enjoy this one for awhile and then get back to work.”

Borcherdt finished the game with 33 points - three times his average of 10.7 points coming in - on 10-for-17 shooting from the field that included an 8-of-11 showing from beyond the arc. He also went 5-for-5 from the free throw line and grabbed six rebounds. Thomas (right) added 14 points and five rebounds, while Falkenberg tossed in 11 points and handed out three assists. The Cougars shot 44.6 percent from the field (25-for-56), 59.1 percent from three-point range (13-for-22), and 61.9 percent from the free throw line (13-for-21). The 76 points matched the most allowed by Cedarville this year and the 13 three-pointers made were also a season high as the Yellow Jackets’ had their 16-game home winning streak also come to an end.

Grant Walker led five Cedarville players in double figures with 17 points as he went 5-for-9 from three-point range. Beals scored 12 points with five assists, and Ricardo Alliman registered a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Harner and Daniel Rose also contributed 10 points apiece. The Yellow Jackets shot 48.2 percent from the field (27-for-56), 38.1 percent from three-point range (8-for-21), and 90.0 percent from the free throw line (9-for-10). Cedarville led 35-31 in rebounding, but the Yellow Jackets committed 13 turnovers to just nine for the Cougars.

MVNU will return to action on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. when the Cougars will host Ohio Christian University in another non-conference contest. Prior to that game, there will be an alumni game featuring numerous former MVNU players squaring off against each other.