PHOTO GALLERY | POST-GAME INTERVIEW
SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University men's basketball team dropped its Crossroads League opener against Goshen College 64-54 on Tuesday night inside the SAU Fieldhouse.
The Maple Leafs (7-2, 1-0 Crossroads League) shot an impressive 58 percent from the field in the first half, including 5-for-8 from behind the arc, to help break a streak of eight consecutive losses to the Cougars.
Despite holding one of the Crossroads League's top scorers in Stefon Luckey to zero points through the first 20 minutes, Spring Arbor still found itself trailing 39-30 at halftime. Goshen's Billy Geschke and Dominique Cartier combined to go 7-for-8 shooting with four triples to fuel a torrid offensive run by the Maple Leafs in the first period.
After losing junior Xavier Prather to an injury very early in the contest, SAU struggled to find its rhythm offensively, but continued to fight to keep the game within reach. Senior Collin Hewitt hit back-to-back jumpers to begin the second stanza and sophomore Thomas Starks knocked down a free throw to narrow the gap to four, 39-35, at the 17:41 mark.
However, an 18-7 run by Goshen over the next 10 minutes gave the visitors its largest lead of the game.
The Cougars would chip away and, after five straight points from junior Greg Hamilton, cut the deficit to six, 60-54, with less than a minute remaining. However, the Leafs would convert their free throws in the closing seconds to seal the win.
Spring Arbor held Goshen to just 25 percent (6-for-24) shooting in the second half, but could not generate enough on the offensive end to recover.
Starks recorded his second double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Cougars. Hamilton and freshman Drew Zuidema followed with nine and eight points, respectively, while Hamilton also added five rebounds and five assists. Freshman Zach Medendorp chipped in seven points with five boards and two blocked shots.
Spring Arbor (6-2, 1-0 Crossroads League) will look to bounce back when it travels to Huntington University (9-1, 1-0 Crossroads League) on Tuesday, Dec. 2. The game is slated to tip-off at 7 p.m.
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