FINDLAY, Ohio - The Walsh Cavaliers men's basketball team completed a perfect run through the 2020 G-MAC Men's Basketball Tournament on Saturday (March 7) as they routed the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers 69-48 at Niekamp Arena. Walsh punched their NCAA Tournament ticket with their second consecutive G-MAC Tournament crown, winning both at Findlay. 

The Cavaliers opened the game with a 9-0 run in three minutes and never looking back. Mark Mokros scored five points while Darryl Straughter and JT Shumate each added two points on the run. As Kentucky Wesleyan tried to keep the game within single digits, Walsh erased all doubts with a 14-0 run over a seven-minute span. Five different players scored as the lead grew from nine points to 23 with 2:37 left before halftime. Walsh took a 36-15 lead into halftime over a sluggish Panthers team. The Panthers pulled within 18 points in the first five minutes of the half but Walsh ballooned the lead to 27 points four different times. Walsh sealed the NCAA Tournament berth with a 69-48 win over the Panthers on Saturday. 

Four players reached double-figures as Straughter led all scorers with 19 points on seven field goals (three triples) and two free throws. Mokros nailed a trio of three pointers, giving him 13 points on the afternoon with three assists. Caleb Canter converted six-of-seven shots for 12 points with eight rebounds and three assists. Shumate ended with a double-double of ten points and ten rebounds. Christian Montague added eight points, seven rebounds and five assists. 

Walsh finished with a 52.7% shooting percentage as they made 29 of 55 field goals. The defense for the Cavaliers held Kentucky Wesleyan to 35% shooting, and 21% (5-21) in the first half. 

The Cavaliers will wait to see who their NCAA Tournament opponent is when the NCAA Division II Bracket is unveiled Sunday (March 8) at 10:30 PM. Details of the opponent, location and time will be available late Sunday online and on social media accounts. 

-WC-