Seventh-Ranked Cougars Maul Highlanders
(Houghton,
N.Y.)—Mount Vernon Nazarene University, ranked #7 in the NAIA
Division II, got out to a big lead early in the game and never
looked back, beating Houghton College 73-49 on Saturday
afternoon at the Nielsen Center.
The Cougars got 21 points and nine rebounds from Jadin Thomas to
lead the way. Connor Gregg had eight of his 14 points in the
first eight minutes as MVNU ran out to a double-digit lead.
The Highlanders, meanwhile, shot 7-for-25 (28 percent) and
turned the ball over 11 times while scoring just 18 points in
the first half.
In the second half Houghton made a run, cutting the MVNU lead
from 26 to 14 (57-43) with just over seven minutes left. MVNU
turned up the defense a notch, though, and the Highlanders
scored just six points the rest of the way.
Yannick Anzuluni (pictured above) led Houghton with 14 points
and 11 rebounds, but he was the only Highlander in double
figures in either category. Mada Abdelhamid had eight points and
eight rebounds.
Houghton is now 4-7, while Mount Vernon Nazarene climbed to
12-1. The Highlanders are back in action on Wednesday, January
9, when they host the University of Maine—Fort Kent at 8 p.m.