WINONA LAKE, Ind. – The Roberts Wesleyan men's basketball team got off to a quick start, but in the end fell to Cedarville University, 64-58 in the championship game off the NCCAA National Tournament.
 
The start of the game couldn't have gone any better for the Redhawks and it looked as if Roberts was well on its way to the first ever NCCAA National Championship in program history.
 
The Redhawks got on the board first with a bucket by Jean Toussaint. Cedarville answered with a short jumper of their own but the Yellow Jackets would not score again for the next six minutes. Roberts used an 18-0 offensive run to stun Cedarville and take a 20-2 lead.
 
With just under nine minutes to go in the first half freshman Fope Okuyiga connected on a free throw to put Roberts up 26-10. But the Redhawks went ice cold and did not score for the remainder of the half allowing Cedarville to inch away at the lead and tie things up at 26-26 by the halftime whistle.
 
In the second half the lead changed hands several times. With under five minutes left a three pointer by Justin Vaughan gave Roberts a four point advantage, 56-52. Cedarville hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to two points and then a three pointer with 2:18 on the clock gave the Yellow Jackets a one point lead.
 
Down just two with under 20 seconds left and possession in favor of the Redhawks it was Vaughan who got a shot off from beyond the arc but the shot missed the mark and was rebounded by Cedarville. The Yellow Jackets connected on free throws and went on to win 64-58.
 
Toussaint finished with a double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds) in the final game of his collegiate career. He also had four steals. Vaughan had 14 points while Peyton McLaurin added 10 points.
 
Roberts closes out the season with a 16-14 overall mark and a second place finish in the NCCAA National Championships.