MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – Joel Okafor and Kyle Mangas both missed potential game-winning 3-pointers with under five seconds left as Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) upset No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan University men’s basketball 83-81. IWU can clinch a Crossroads League championship at home on Saturday (1 p.m.) vs. No. 22 Spring Arbor (Mich.).

GAME VITALS

• Score:  Mount Vernon Nazarene def. Indiana Wesleyan, 83-81
• Records:  Indiana Wesleyan  22-7, 13-4 Crossroads League   |   Mount Vernon Nazarene 17-12, 9-8 Crossroads League
• NAIA Top- 25 Rank:  Indiana Wesleyan - No. 6   |   Mount Vernon Nazarene - Not ranked
• Location:   Ariel Arena   |   Mount Vernon Nazarene University   |   Mount Vernon, Ohio

STAT TRACKER

• Kyle Mangas:  24 points, 9-19 FG, 5-12 3FG, 7 rebounds
• Grant Smith:  9 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists
• Ben Carlson:  13 points, 5-7 FG, 7 rebounds
• Evan Maxwell:  19 points, 8-14 FG, 5 rebounds
   

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• Joel Okafor attempted a 3-pointer to win the game with four seconds left but hit the back of the rim. Mangas grabbed the long rebound and took another 3-pointer at the buzzer but his shot missed as well.
• The game featured 13 ties and 9 lead changes, which includes 10 ties in the second half. IWU held a 52-40 lead early in the second half for the largest lead of the night.
• Mangas missed his first free throw attempt tonight that ended a streak of 24 consecutive free throws made. Caleb Dimmich holds the program record with 27 straight makes.
• Mount Vernon Nazarene sweeps the season series with Indiana Wesleyan. The Cougars won 84-79 in Luckey Arena on January 3.
   

CROSSROADS LEAGUE IMPLICATIONS

• Indiana Wesleyan failed to clinch at least a tie for the Crossroads League regular season championship. IWU can still clinch a tie for the championship with either a win on Saturday vs. Spring Arbor (Mich.) or one loss for Saint Francis (Ind.) on Wednesday vs. Grace (Ind.) or on Saturday at Bethel (Ind.).
   

NEXT TIME OUT

• Indiana Wesleyan hosts No. 22 Spring Arbor (Mich.) on Saturday in the regular season finale. The game tips off with at 1 p.m. as the first of the men’s-women’s doubleheader. Saturday is Senior Day in Luckey Arena with a pregame celebration before tip-off. An Indiana Wesleyan win clinches at least a Crossroads League regular season championship.