SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – Senior Caleb Hogans dropped a game-high 26 points to lead the Spring Arbor University men's basketball team to an 84-78 upset win over No. 3 ranked University of Saint Francis (Ind.) on Tuesday night.

THE BASICS

FINAL SCORE: Spring Arbor 84, #3 Saint Francis 78

LOCATION: SAU Fieldhouse | Spring Arbor, Mich.

RECORDS: Spring Arbor 13-8 (5-4 CL), Saint Francis 15-6 (5-4 CL)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The game featured the Crossroads League's top ranked offense in Saint Francis against the top ranked defense of Spring Arbor.
• The visiting Cougars nailed their first four shots of the contest to race out to a quick 10-2 lead. Spring Arbor would settle in, however, and lean on its defense to get back into the game. The Cougars would hold USF to just one field goal for nearly a four minute span as they grabbed their first lead of the night, 19-18, at the 9:58 mark.
• The two teams would battle back and forth the rest of the period seeing the lead change hands nine different times. Thomas Starks ignited a late charge for SAU knocking down three consecutive triples in just over a minute. Hogans would hit a driving a layup at the horn to give the Cougars a 40-35 advantage going into halftime.
• Spring Arbor would never surrender its lead from that point on. Hogans picked up the second half where he left off, burying a three-pointer on the opening possession.
• Saint Francis, last season's national runner-up, looked to be on the verge of a comeback on multiple occasions, but, time after time, the Cougars answered.
• After trailing by as much as eight, USF closed the gap to two, 65-63, with 6:54 remaining. However, Spring Arbor would hold one of the country's most prolific offenses without a field goal for more than six minutes.
• Hogans showed the senior leadership needed down the stretch to help SAU complete the upset as he scored nine points on 4-of-6 shooting, including a dagger three.
• Spring Arbor sealed the game at the charity stripe hitting 7-of-8 free throws down the stretch.

FOR SPRING ARBOR

• It was the second straight game Hogans scored at least 20 points, and the third time in the last five contests. He finished the night 11-for-18 from the floor while also totaling eight rebounds and four assists.
• Three other Cougars joined Hogans in double figures. Paul Marandet and Starks registered 14 points apiece. Starks added eight boards and four assists while Marandet dished out five helpers. Zach Medendorp also chipped in 10 points.
• Spring Arbor shot 55 percent (29-for-53) on the night while hitting 13 three-pointers.
• The Cougars' bench play proved to be a difference maker in the contest as it outscored USF's 20-11. Drew Zuidema chipped in nine points off the bench and Jeff Beckman added seven more.
• The win broke a streak of five straight losses to Saint Francis. The Cougars' last win over USF came on Feb. 26, 2014. It was also SAU's second victory over a Top 10 ranked opponent this season.

FOR SAINT FRANCIS

• Bryce Lienhoop paced Saint Francis with his third double-double in the last four games. Lienhoop posted 20 points and 11 rebounds. Kyle Sovine also recorded 20 points while Evan Henry finished with 10.
• Saint Francis, which entered averaging more than 90 points per game, was held to its third-lowest scoring output of the season. The Cougars shot 46 percent (27-for-59) from the floor.
• The visitors held the edge in rebounds, hauling in 39 compared to SAU's 30.
• The loss was the third straight for USF, and its fourth in its last six games.

UP NEXT

Spring Arbor will face another Top 10 ranked squad when it travels to Marion, Indiana to take on No. 10 Indiana Wesleyan University (17-4, 7-2 CL) on Saturday, Jan. 21. The game is slated for a 3 p.m. tipoff.

Men's Basketball Contact: Chris Bauman | 517-750-6504 | christopher.bauman@arbor.edu
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