MARION, Ind. (Box Score) -- With the top-ranked team in the country looming on Tuesday night the Indiana Wesleyan University men's basketball team did not overlook Goshen (Ind.) College on Saturday afternoon.

No. 9-ranked Indiana Wesleyan captured a 79-66 victory over Goshen in Luckey Arena as the Wildcats shot 51.7-percent (30 of 58) from the floor. IWU opened up a lead of 20 points in the second half but had to withstand a late charge from Goshen to earn the win in the first game of the second half of Mid-Central College Conference play.

Goshen (13-10, 4-5 MCC) held an early advantage with a 10-9 lead six minutes into action. Indiana Wesleyan exploded over the next five minutes with an 18-5 spurt which put IWU up 27-15. Seven consecutive points by Goshen trimmed the lead to 27-22 before Indiana Wesleyan added seven of the next eight to lead 34-22 with under two minutes before half.

A pair of free throws by Wildcat senior forward Landon Adler with 0.8 seconds left extended the IWU lead to 38-26 at halftime.

Indiana Wesleyan (19-4, 7-2 MCC) raced out of intermission with the first eight points for a 46-26 lead as senior guard Jon Moon lit up Goshen with 3-point baskets on back-to-back possessions.

A 13-2 Goshen run brought the game back to single digits for the first time in the second half at 53-47 with 10:27 to play.

Maple Leaf senior center Kyle Laker hit both free throws with 8:46 on the clock to make it a 60-53 Indiana Wesleyan lead. Indiana Wesleyan responded with a bucket down low by junior forward Josh Williams and an old fashioned 3-point play by freshman guard Derrick Troyer on the next possession to increase the IWU lead to 65-53.

Goshen never saw a single digit deficit the rest of the game.

Indiana Wesleyan dominated Goshen down low with a 42-22 advantage in points in the paint. IWU also turned 18 Maple Leaf turnovers into 18 points on the other end.

Wildcat senior guard Antonio Murrell paced the team with 23 points and seven rebounds. He shot 8-of-13 from the field while putting in 15 points in the opening period. Adler contributed a double-double of 13 points and 14 rebounds while Williams poured in eight points off the bench.

Junior forward Zach Coverstone added 14 points, six boards and five blocked shots. His first bucket at 17:08 in the first half gave Coverstone his 1,000th career point.

Goshen's junior guard Errick McCollum scored a game-best 28 points, 24 coming in the second half. Laker ended the contest with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Indiana Wesleyan prepares for the next game which will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 27 as the Wildcats will host No.1-ranked Bethel (Ind.) College. The game will be a ?White Out' as all Wildcat fans are encouraged to wear white as Indiana Wesleyan and Bethel battle for first place in the MCC.