GOSHEN, Ind. — Xavier Newson scored a team-high 18 points to finish in double figures for the 15th time in 19 games this season, but the Goshen College men's basketball team fell short of Mount Vernon Nazarene University 83-69 in Crossroads League action Tuesday night at Gunden Gymnasium.

Christian Grider scored 14 for the Maple Leafs, joining Newson in double figures, with a team-high seven rebounds.

The Cougars (15-4, 4-3), fresh off missing the NAIA Division II men's basketball top 25 by one spot earlier in the afternoon, took a 4-0 lead in the game's first minute, shot 53 percent before halftime and led 44-32 at the intermission.

Goshen (9-10, 2-5) shot 13 percentage points better after halftime, going 14-for-29 (48.3 percent) in the second half, but Mount Vernon Nazarene outscored the Maple Leafs 39-37 over the final 20 minutes as well.

Each team made 27 field goals and seven 3-pointers for 61 points from the floor, but the Cougars converted 21 GC fouls into 22 made foul shots while the Maple Leafs finished with eight free throws. Goshen turned the ball over 13 times, once more than their opponent, but still took 10 more shots from the floor.

MVNU's Josh Ashwill led all scorers with 19 points and all assisters with six, adding 10 rebounds for a double-double: Brett Vipperman scored 18 points with a game-high 11 rebounds. Three other Cougars scored in double figures.

GC pulled down 14 rebounds while allowing nine caroms to go back to the Cougars after MVNU shots, although Vipperman led all players by hauling in six offensive boards.

Devin Heath-Granger led Goshen with three assists: the junior, an Indianapolis native, raised his career total in that category to 317, which has coincidentally been an Indianapolis area code since the North American Numbering Plan introduced area codes 70 years ago this October.

The Maple Leafs return to action Saturday in Upland, Indiana, with a visit to 15th-ranked Taylor. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. after the two schools' women's teams meet at 1 p.m.