Two V-Hawks Score 20 Off the Bench in Loss

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Viterbo University Men's Basketball team dropped a non-conference matchup to Saint Xavier University (Ill.), 69-81, on Wednesday night. The V-Hawks fall to 5-6 on the year, while the Cougars improve to 3-5.

Nick Malovrh hit a jumper for the first points of the game, but SXU scored the next nine for the 9-2 lead. Malovrh ended the run with a layup, assisted by Cole Crubel, at 11:36. Crubel then scored the next 14 points for the V-Hawks, including four triples, as Viterbo took an 18-16 lead. The teams traded baskets, including back-to-back buckets by Stefan Popovic before a Malovrh three gave Viterbo a 30-25 lead at 2:18. Popovic hit one last shot before time expired, and the V-Hawks took a 32-29 lead into the halftime break.

Sando Hill tied the game with a three right out of the break, then jumped out to a 43-35 lead. Colin Adams' layup got VU back on the board at 15:27, then a Popovic three ended two straight minutes of no scoring by either team. Another Popovic three made it a two-point game at 11:31, 44-46, but the Cougars used another timely run to go back up, 59-47. Popovic stayed hot with two more threes, and Crubel added one of his own as Viterbo closed the game to one possession yet again, 59-62 with 5:15 left. However, the V-Hawks were unable to claim the lead and despite an and-one for Popovic and yet another Crubel three, Viterbo would lose, 69-81.

Crubel and Popovic led Viterbo with 22 and 20 points off the bench, respectively. Malovrh added 13 with seven rebounds and four assists. Cedric Johnson had 29 for SXU, and Hill contributed 20.

Saint Xavier outshot the V-Hawks, 49% - 40.5% from the floor, but the V-Hawks were better from three, 45.2% - 36.8%. The Cougars also grabbed more boards, 39-28, but the difference came from the free throw line, where SXU sent 20-25 to 3-3 from Viterbo.

The V-Hawks return to action on Saturday, October 16 as they host Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) at 2 PM.