NORTH CANTON, OH - The Walsh University Cavaliers suffered a tough 68-62 loss to their rivals, the Malone University Pioneers, in a Great Midwest Athletic Conference matchup at Alumni Arena on Thursday, January 23rd. This defeat dropped Walsh's record to 6-10 overall and 2-8 in conference play, while Malone improved to 8-10 overall and 4-6 in the G-MAC.
The Cavaliers struggled in the first half, trailing 34-23 at halftime. They mounted a strong comeback in the second half, outscoring Malone 39-34, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.
Ayden Carter led the charge for Walsh with a game-high 26 points, shooting 7-of-13 from the field and an impressive 11-of-15 from the free-throw line. Carter also grabbed 6 rebounds in his 38 minutes of play.
Kobe Mitchell contributed 12 points, while
Zack Oddo recorded a double-double with 9 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Despite Carter's strong performance, the Cavaliers struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 35.3% compared to Malone's 40.0%. The Pioneers' balanced attack saw four players score in double figures, led by Ryan Bartley's 18 points.
Walsh's defense had difficulty containing Malone's offense, allowing 11 second-chance points and 9 fast break points. The Cavaliers also committed 7 turnovers, which led to 7 points for the Pioneers.
The Cavaliers will look to bounce back from this tough loss when they travel to face Tiffin University on Saturday, January 25th at 3:00 P.M. in another G-MAC matchup.
SCORE: Malone 68 - Walsh 62
LOCATION: Alumni Arena, North Canton, OH
RECORDS: Walsh 6-10 (2-8 G-MAC), Malone 8-10 (4-6 G-MAC)
FOR THE CAVALIERS:
- Ayden Carter led all scorers with 26 points and 6 rebounds in 38 minutes.
- Kobe Mitchell contributed 12 points and 2 assists in 38 minutes.
- Zack Oddo recorded a double-double with 9 points and 14 rebounds in 40 minutes of action.
- Kaleb Schaffer added 8 points in 17 minutes of play.
