MEN’S BASKETBALL

The 19th-ranked HU men’s basketball team upped their win streak against Mount Vernon to seven Wednesday night with a 68-57 victory over their hosts inside Ariel Arena. Eleven points matched the point spread earlier this season when the Foresters enjoyed an 82-71 win over the Cougars in mid-December.

MVNU is the fourth opponent Huntington has held to 60 points or less.

Aside from a few lead swaps midway through the first half, it was a relatively drama-free game with Huntington in the driver’s seat most of the night. Seven Foresters put points on the board in the first half for a 36-31 lead heading into the break.

The Cougars rattled off the first four points to start the second half to trim the difference to one at 36-35 but HU calmly went back to work, piecing together a 13-2 run for a 49-37 advantage with 15:33 to go.

It was the game’s first double-digit disparity and stayed that way the rest of the contest minus a brief 30-second stint when the hosts cut it to nine halfway through the frame. Alford’s club led by as many as 17 late in the game on the way to their third straight league win.

Huntington’s record stands at 18-5 overall which includes an 8-5 league record. The Foresters are currently tied with Saint Francis for the third spot in the CL regular season standings.

Lane Sparks led all scorers with 23 points. Landen Jordan was the only other Forester to reach double figures with 14. Kaden Johnson took home game-high rebounding honors with eight.

Bailey Conrad’s 21 points paced the Cougars. Milton Gage and Isaiah Brown each netted ten points for MVNU in the low-scoring defensive battle.

HU returns to Platt Arena on Saturday to host Marian at 3:00 p.m. looking to avenge their 78-76 loss to the Knights earlier this season.