NORTH CANTON, Ohio - The Walsh University men's basketball team erased a 2-0 lead early and led for almost 38 minutes in a 86-56 win over the Cedarville Yellow Jackets on Saturday (Jan. 11) afternoon at Alumni Arena in the D2 Showcase on ESPN3. 

Walsh's sixth straight win moved the Cavaliers to 14-2 overall and 5-1 in the conference as they sit third in the Point Ranking System. 

Cedarville began the game with a jumper off the opening tip, taking a 2-0 lead. Less than a minute later, JT Shumate tied the game at two and ignited a 19-4 run over four minutes. Shumate scored nine points on the run as Walsh opened a 13 point lead. Conner Wess pushed the advantage to 14, 26-12 with a jumper before the under-12 media timeout. Cedarville closed the gap to six with an 11-3 run, trailing 29-23 with 8:37 left before the half. The Yellow Jackets pulled within six points in the next three minutes but Walsh took momentum into the intermission. The Cavaliers closed the last 3:53 with a 10-0 run, leading 48-32 at halftime. Christian Montague scored five points on the rally while Alphonso Baity added three. 

Montague opened the second half with a three pointer before the Yellow Jackets answered with a layup, trailing by 17. That was the closest Cedarville got in the second half. Walsh flirted with a 20 point lead over the nine minutes before Cedarville made a pair of free throws at the 10:40 to go mark. Walsh's lead was 64-46 and the Cavaliers closed the game with a 22-10 run, including 13 straight points at one point. Baity scored five points on the 13-0 run as Walsh's lead ballooned to 35 with 1:08 remaining. Walsh dispatched the Yellow Jackets 86-56 at Alumni Arena. 

Shumate was named NCAA D2 Player of the Game with 26 points on eight field goals (two threes) and eight free throws along with five rebounds. Montague and Baity each scored 15 points. Darryl Straughter finished with 13 points on the afternoon. Caleb Canter led the team in rebounds with 12 for the contest. 

The Cavaliers shot 52.5% (31-59) from the floor after shooting 57.1% in the first half. 

Walsh will travel to West Virginia on Thursday (Jan. 16) to take on Alderson Broaddus and Ohio Valley next week. 

-WC-