After MVNU (19-7, 7-3 AMC) scored the first six points of the game on a three-pointer apiece by senior guards Dan Borcherdt (left) and Ben Falkenberg, the host Bulldogs (9-14, 1-7 AMC) used an 18-7 run to go in front 18-13 by the 11:56 mark as Phillip Moore led the way with six points.

A pair of free throws by senior forward Matt McKinley and a jumper in the lane by sophomore guard Brandon Short put the Cougars back on top 20-18 with 10:07 left in the half. Ironically, that jumper by Short would prove to be the only field goal made inside the arc for MVNU in the half as the Cougars went 1-for-12 inside three-point range.

Wilberforce answered with an 11-4 run to take a 29-24 lead with 6:43 to play before the break as Brian Butler scored six points and capped the run with a dunk.

However, MVNU turned to its outside shooting to close the half on a 15-2 run as the Cougars took a 39-31 lead to the locker room at the break. Junior wing Travis Brown, senior wing Andy Francis, and freshman guard Robbie Taylor each drained a trey, while Borcherdt went 3-for-4 at the free throw line to fuel the surge.

Borcherdt led MVNU with 12 first-half points, while Falkenberg tossed in 11 points as both players went 3-for-6 from three-point range in the half. The Cougars shot 38.1 percent from the field (10-for-30), 50.0 percent from three-point range (9-for-18), and 62.5 percent from the free throw line (10-for-16).

Meanwhile, Wilberforce was led by Butler and Tyson Harbin with nine points apiece, while Moore grabbed four rebounds to go with six points and three blocked shots. The Bulldogs shot 36.4 percent from the field (12-for-33), 18.2 percent from three-point range (2-for-11), and 83.3 percent from the free throw line.

After a jumper by Moore closed the gap to 39-33 to start the second half, MVNU rattled off 14 straight points to take a 53-33 lead by the 15:28 mark. Senior forward Jadin Thomas scored five points, while Francis, Falkenberg, and Borcherdt each nailed a trey.

From there, the closest that Wilberforce would get the rest of the way was 18 points as the Cougars limited the Bulldogs to just 28.6 percent shooting in the second half (10-for-35). Meanwhile, MVNU stayed hot from long range by going 7-for-15 from three-point land (46.7 percent) while also getting to the free throw line for 17 second-half attempts as the Cougars posted the 83-57 victory going away.

“We started a little slow tonight,” said MVNU coach Scott Flemming. “Their shot blockers took away our inside game early and they got too many second shots. We also did not get back in transition as well as we should. Toward the end of the first half, though, we started to turn things around. We played very well in the second half. The very things we struggled with in the first half became our strengths. We shared the ball and were patient for open shots. Our bench did a great job again as well. We still have greater goals ahead.”

Borcherdt led MVNU with 18 points as he nailed five three-pointers and also handed out five assists. He became the 31st player in school history to top the 1,000-point mark in career scoring as he accomplished the feat in just three years with the Cougars after transferring in from Army and now has 1,005 points.

“It was great to see Dan have a big game on the night he scored his 1,000th point,” said Flemming. “He has had many big games to be able to score that many points in just three years.”

Falkenberg added 14 points in just 22 minutes as he went 4-for-8 from three-point range. Short (right) contributed 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench, and Thomas and junior post Bryce Sanborn each grabbed 11 rebounds. Taylor finished with eight points and five assists, while Brown grabbed seven rebounds. MVNU shot 38.1 percent from the field for the game (24-for-63), 48.5 percent from three-point range (16-for-33), and 57.6 percent from the free throw line (19-for-33).

Butler and Harbin finished with nine points apiece to lead Wilberforce as both players were held scoreless in the second half. Moore also tallied eight points, six rebounds, and four blocked shots. The Bulldogs shot 32.4 percent from the field (22-for-68), 22.2 percent from three-point range (4-for-18), and 75.0 percent from the free throw line (9-for-12).

The Cougars will return to action on Friday when MVNU will host Houghton (N.Y.) College at 7:30 p.m. in another AMC contest.