Cougars Have No Answer for Huntington Inside Game


	Cougar Basketball Game Recap Cougars Have No Answer for Huntington Inside Game written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director Game Boxscore MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (1-5-2012) - The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team was unable to stop the post play of Huntington (Ind.) University as the Cougars fell 76-67 in Mid-Central College Conference action on Thursday night in the Physical Education Center. The game was close throughout most of the first half when the visiting Foresters (11-6, 3-2 MCC) used a surge to take a 25-19 lead with 6:05 remaining before halftime. After MVNU (6-11, 0-5 MCC) rattled off seven straights points to take a 26-25 lead by the 4:25 mark behind four points from senior guard Robbie Taylor (left) and a 3-pointer by sophomore wing Austin Semple, Huntington scored the next 11 points to go in front 36-26 before a trey by Taylor made the halftime score 36-29. Taylor led the Cougars with 10 first-half points, while Semple and senior forward Danil Zakhlebnyy each tossed in five points. MVNU shot 41.4 percent from the field (12-for-29) and 41.7 percent from 3-point range (5-for-12), and the Cougars did not attempt a free throw. Tyler Ault paced the Foresters with 12 first-half points, while Caleb Kennedy added eight points. Huntington shot 51.7 percent from the field (15-for-29), 44.4 percent from 3-point range (4-for-9), and just 50 percent from the free throw line (2-for-4). The Foresters also held a 19-11 rebounding advantage. MVNU pulled within 41-38 just over four minutes into the second half, but the Foresters responded with a 13-2 run to extended their lead to 54-40 with 11:23 left in the game. The Cougars did not give up, though, and by turning up the pressure defensively were able to pull within 61-58 with 3:58 to go and had possession of the ball with a chance to tie. However, following a missed shot by MVNU, Huntington made two free throws, a layup, and then a 3-point prayer with the shot clock going off to extend the lead back to 68-59. From there, the Foresters went 8-for-11 at the free throw line the rest of the way as they held on for the 76-67 victory. Taylor led the Cougars with 19 points as he went 5-for-9 from 3-point range. Semple finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, and Zakhlebnyy added 11 points off the bench. Williams also blocked five shots before fouling out. MVNU shot just 37.7 percent from the field (23-for-61), 37.9 percent from 3-point range (11-for-29), and 62.5 percent from the free throw line (10-for-16). Kennedy paced Huntington with 23 points and 19 rebounds as he led the Foresters to a 43-30 rebounding advantage and a 30-14 edge in points in the pain. Ault added 14 points, while Shane Merryman chipped in with 12 points and seven rebounds. Huntington shot 48.2 percent from the field (27-for-56), 40 percent from 3-point range (6-for-15), and 69.6 percent from the free throw line (16-for-23). "We had much better effort defensively tonight, but we also left some critical stops out there at key times," said MVNU coach Matt Moore. "We have to handle the closing moments of the game better with our decision-making and the type of shots we need, but I thought our competitive spirit was there. We need to stay on the rock and keep swinging away because it will eventually crack." The Cougars will return to action on Saturday when MVNU will travel to the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) for another MCC game that will tip off at 3 p.m.

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