GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The University of Michigan-Dearborn men's basketball team fell to No. 10 Cornerstone University in the quarterfinals of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament Thursday at MOL Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The Wolverines rallied from an 18-point deficit in the second half to cut the Cornerstone lead to three points with 10 minutes to play, but the top-seeded Golden Eagles pulled away late for a 78-63 win. The loss ends the UM-Dearborn season with a record of 11-20.
UM-Dearborn went on a 19-4 run midway through the second half, led by nine points from senior Mafiaion Joyner. Cornerstone, the regular season WHAC champions, responded with a 17-2 run to take control and close out the win.
Joyner scored 26 points in his final game as a Wolverine, hitting five 3-pointers. Fellow senior Xavier Crofford added 10 points to close his career with 1,358 points, the fifth most in UM-Dearborn basketball history.
Sophomore Jason Gigliotti added nine points and a team-high 14 rebounds.
The Wolverines shot 21-of-70 from the field, 7-of-27 from deep and 14-of-20 from the line.
The Golden Eagles were led by WHAC Player of the Year Sam Vander Sluis with 35 points and 17 rebounds. Cornerstone moves on to face Siena Heights University in the semifinals of the WHAC Postseason Tournament.
