Brown Leads Cougars' Comeback for 65-64 Overtime Win


	Cougar Basketball Game Recap Brown Leads Cougars' Comeback for 65-64 Overtime Win written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director Game Boxscore MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (2-20-2010) - Senior wing Travis Brown saved his best game for the final game of his career as he led the Mount Vernon Nazarene University men’s basketball team back from a 13-point deficit to defeat Malone University 65-64 in overtime in American Mideast Conference action in front of 1,524 people in the Physical Education Center on Saturday night. Brown and senior center Bryce Sanborn each scored three quick points as the Cougars (13-16, 5-11 AMC) jumped out to an early 6-1 lead by the 15:33 mark. The two teams traded baskets over the next six minutes with the visiting Pioneers (13-15, 9-7 AMC) holding a slim 14-13 lead with 9:25 left in the half. Then, Malone went on a 19-7 run over the next eight minutes to build a 33-20 advantage with 1:33 left in the half as Eric Coblentz drilled a pair of three-pointers and added another basket for eight points during the surge. A pair of free throws by senior Austin Kaiser pulled MVNU within 33-22 at the half. Brown and Sanborn both scored five points apiece in the first half to lead the Cougars. MVNU shot just 23.3 percent from the field (7-for-30), 27.3 percent from three-point range (3-for-11), and 62.5 percent from the free throw line (5-for-8). Nick Watts led the Pioneers with 10 first-half points off the bench, while Coblentz added eight points. Malone shot 47.8 percent from the field (11-for-23), 33.3 percent from three-point land (3-for-9), and 80 percent from the free throw line (8-for-10). The Pioneers still held a 37-25 lead at the 17:28 mark of the second half when the Cougars began to claw their way back into the game. A 12-2 run closed the gap to 39-37 with 14:20 remaining as Brown (left) went 4-for-4 at the free throw line and sophomore guard Robbie Taylor added four points. Malone answered the run, though, as the Pioneers extended their lead back out to 58-50 at the 7:04 mark as Kyle Higgis connected on a three-pointer. Jock Rottman led the way with seven points, while Ebiowei Porbeni scored six points. A jumper each by Brown and Sanborn and two free throws by Brown cut the lead to 58-56 with 3:16 still showing on the clock. Both teams had multiple opportunities over the next two-plus minutes as Malone went 0-for-5 from the field and missed one free throw opportunity. Meanwhile, MVNU missed two field goal attempts and two free throws. Then, with 53 seconds left, Brown was fouled on rebound and calmly hit both free throws to knot the score at 58-58. Kaiser forced a turnover and quickly got the ball downcourt. Brown made a move into the lane and gave the Cougars a 60-58 lead with 18.4 seconds left. The Pioneers got the ball across halfcourt on the inbounds and then called a timeout. Malone worked the ball inside and Ebiowei Porbeni made a short jumper as the buzzer sounded to know the score at 60-60 and send the Cougars to overtime for the fifth time. MVNU got on the scoreboard first in the five-minute overtime period as junior guard Brandon Short hit a jumper on the Cougars’ first possession to go up 62-60. Sophomore post Jordan Heatherly split a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 63-60, but Jeremy Duerr made two free throws of his own to keep the Pioneers close at 63-62 with 2:41 left. Short scored on a layup with 2:11 remaining to extend the lead to 65-62, but Coblentz answered with a tough jumper from the wing to close the gap to 65-64 with 1:42 to go. Both teams missed a shot on their next possession and then MVNU turned the ball over with 18 seconds to go as Malone had a chance to win the game with the final shot. After a timeout, the Pioneers had two chances to win as Duerr missed a jumper and then Porbeni’s follow-up rebound and layup fell off the rim as Heatherly grabbed the rebound and the horn sounded to give the Cougars a hard-fought 65-64 overtime victory. "What a way to close out the season,” said first-year MVNU coach Matt Moore. "I am so proud of the 15 players who wore the MVNU uniform tonight and the effort they put forth to overcome yet another obstacle. Our second-half defense was the best it has been all year and it allowed us to overcome our offensive struggles in the first half.” Brown finished with a career-high 22 points and nine rebounds - one off his career high - to lead the Cougars. He went 11-for-12 from the free throw line. Sanborn, Taylor, and sophomore post Scott Hilbert each scored seven points apiece with Hilbert grabbing 11 rebounds. Kaiser and Short also contributed six points each with Short leading the team with four assists and Kaiser registering three steals. "Travis and Austin were great at different ends of the floor, while Bryce clogged up the lane,” said Moore. "Scott was really our unsung hero with the minutes and production he gave us. I am very happy for (guard) Jonathan (Gurney), (forward) Kyle (Harden), and the other seniors for finishing the race strong and representing MVNU and our program the right way.” "Our future is going to be bright as Robbie, Brandon, Scott, Jordan, (junior forward) Adam (Grimm), and freshman guard Ben (Severns) now take hold of our program and put in the work necessary to get us back atop the AMC,” said Moore.

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