SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – In a battle of two national championship teams, it was Spring Arbor University that came out on top 89-76 over Grace Christian University on Tuesday night inside the McDonald Athletic Center.

It was a one-point game between the No. 1 ranked Cougars, last year's NAIA DII national champs, and Grace Christian, the 2019 NCCAA DII champions, midway through the second half, but SAU pulled away down the stretch outscoring the visitors 28-16 over the final eight minutes to secure their fifth win of the season.

Four Cougars scored in double figures, including Paul Marandet, who posted a team-high 23 points. Connor Cottingham also reached double-digits recording a career-high 11 points with three 3-pointers.

THE BASICS

FINAL SCORE: No. 1 Spring Arbor 89, Grace Christian 76

LOCATION: McDonald Athletic Center | Spring Arbor, Mich.

RECORDS: Spring Arbor 5-2, Grace Christian 5-3

UP NEXT

Spring Arbor opens Crossroads League play when it visits Huntington University on Tuesday, Nov. 26.