Men's Basketball 10/28/2020 2:15:00 PM @n_jcamp

Men's Basketball opens season at WHAC/CL Challenge

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Receiving Votes Men's Basketball opens season in WHAC/CL Classic

Head Coach Kim Elders and the Golden Eagles struggled with injuries last season, which led to a 20-12 record and missing out on the NAIA DII National Tournament. Last season was the first time CU has missed the National Tournament since 2012-13 and is the most losses for Coach Elders since 2011-12. With the return of veteran players however, CU is receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Preseason Poll. They will open the season at a dominant No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan team and follow that with a neutral site game vs. the defending National Champion (2018-19 champs/No champion due to COVID in 2019-20) in Marion on Saturday.

Veterans Return

The Golden Eagles are excited to return to action with a veteran lineup after finishing 5th in the WHAC in 2019-20 with a 20-12, 12-8 WHAC record and Conference Tournament Final loss to Madonna that ended their season. CU lost just one player from last season in Brent Hibbitts, while returning three redshirt-seniors in Tyler Baker, Riley Costen, and Kyle Hayes. Costen redshirted last season after battling injury the last two years, but is expected to be healthy and ready to go to begin 2020-21. CU also returns senior point guard Christian Rodriguez who led the team in points and assists per game in 2019-20.

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Major Milestones - Coach E & Tyler Baker

Cornerstone is nearing two major career milestones to begin 2020-21 as Head Coach Kim Elders is just two wins away from 700 in his career and redshirt-senior Tyler Baker is 22 points away from 1,000. Elders holds a 698-254 all-time record as he enters his 28th season as head coach, while Tyler Baker looks to be the 44th Golden Eagle in program history to surpass 1,000 career points.

The Next Great Kyle - IWU's Kyle Mangus

The No. 3 Wildcats are powered by the NAIA’s best basketball player since Kyle Steigenga played for the Golden Eagles, as Kyle Mangus enters his senior year with a rap sheet of records. Mangus scored 25 in a 117-82 win over No. 17 Olivet Nazarene to open the season, making him the first IWU player in program history to surpass 2,500 career points. Mangus just last season was named the Bevo Francis Award Winner and NAIA National Player of the Year. He has also been named an NAIA First Team All-American each of his first three seasons and is looking to become the second athlete in NAIA history to earn that honor in all for seasons, with the first being Cornerstone alum Kyle Steigenga.

Scouting Spring Arbor

The Cougars get the honor to hold on to the title of defending National Champion after the 2019-20 National Tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19. Despite the title, SAU looks very different with just one of the five starters remaining on the team from that 2018-19 championship. In 2019-20 Spring Arbor posted a 20-13, 10-8 conference record in a tough Crossroads League. Before the National Tournament was canceled the team suffered a two point loss in the opening round to Oklahoma Wesleyan. The 2020-21 roster will be led by Senior Brandon Durnell who averaged 16.9 PPG last season.

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