WILMORE, Ky.--- Nick Fort led Asbury once again on Wednesday night with 29 points and 13 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season. AU (10-2) defeated Mount St. Joseph (2-6) 84-75 in the Luce Center to gain their 10th win in only 12 games. 

Fort played all 40 minutes for the Eagles and scored 29 points on 12-17 from the floor with three made threes, tying his most three-pointers in a game this season.

Caleb Wallis followed Fort by shooting 6-9 from the field for 16 points with six rebounds and four assists. Ben McNew, the sophomore guard tied a career-high with 15 points including three from distance.

Senior Dakota Walden was the other Eagle in double-digits with 12 points and five rebounds. Zion Thomas provided a needed boost for AU with a season-high six points and three rebounds. 

Mount St. Joseph was led by Dayne Gardner, putting up impressive numbers with 13 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Evan Wiehe went 4-6 from three for MSJ to lead them in scoring with 14. 

Asbury dominated in the paint scoring tonight with 40 points in the paint compared to MSJ's 24. Asbury's defense also held MSJ to shooting 38.8 percent on the night, while the Eagles shot 57.1 percent. 

MSJ started out the night strong scoring 20 points in the first nine minutes to give them an early 20-13 advantage. Asbury responded with an 11-4 run to tie things at 24, all 11 points for Asbury coming from Nick Fort and Clayton Winter.

Mount St. Joseph regained their lead with consecutive threes from Jack Kolar and Kelvin Turner to give them a 32-26 lead with 6:33 to go in the half. Once again Asbury answered the bell, this time going on a 17-4 swing that gave them the 43-37 edge heading into the break. The run was powered by four threes for Asbury, two of them coming from Caleb Wallis. 

Asbury carried their end of the first half momentum into the second, scoring 26 points in the first 10 minutes to secure a 69-60 lead with 9:54 to go. Mount St. Joseph continued to battle back, getting within four at 73-77 with 3:30 to go. 

Caleb Wallis put in a layup and then Ben McNew hit a huge three-pointer that put AU back up nine, 82-73 with only 1:48 remaining. Asbury finished the 84-75 win after not giving up the lead they took at the end of the first half.

Asbury moves to 10-2 on the season. 


* Nick Fort | 29 PTS, 13 REB, 12-17 FG, 3-5 3PT, 2 AST (8th Double-Double)
* Caleb Wallis | 16 PTS, 6-9 FG, 6 REB, 4 AST
* Ben McNew | 15 PTS (Tied Career-High), 3-6 3PT, 3 REB
* Dakota Walden | 12 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 2-4 3PT


* Asbury took the paint battle with 40 points in the paint to MSJ's 26
* AU shot 57.1 percent overall from the field with 10 threes


"We came out a little slow and hesitant, which isn't the way we play when we're at our best. Coach talked us up in the first timeout and we were ready to go from there. Once we got settled in we finished the game off well to get the win. Ben and Bryce made a big defensive play for us to get us going and that was key. A lot of guys stepped up for us, Ben McNew made a big three late that was huge."
Nick Fort | Graduate Forward


Asbury will travel to face the University of Alabama in Huntsville this weekend for an exhibition matchup and will then return home next Tuesday to meet Campbellsville Harrodsburg in the Luce at 7 PM. 


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