SPRING ARBOR, Mich. - The University of Saint Francis (Ind.) men's basketball team battled on the road Saturday afternoon but couldn't hold off a strong second-half surge from Spring Arbor, falling 91-79.

Saint Francis shot nearly 60% in the first half and took a 43–36 lead into the locker room behind strong ball movement and balanced scoring.

Spring Arbor answered after halftime, shooting better than 66% and finishing the game at 43% from beyond the arc. Saint Francis struggled to contain the hosts' offense, as Spring Arbor outscored the SF Cougars 55–36 over the second half to pull away for the 91-79 win.

SF shot 49.2% (29-59) from the floor and 31.6% (6-19) from deep. Marr Avance and Jevon Lewis led Saint Francis with 16 points each, while Karson Rogers added 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Braeden Messenger chipped in 11.

Up next, Saint Francis (7-11, 2-7 CL) will host Mount Vernon Nazarene University at the Hutzell Athletic Center on January 24. In their first matchup of the season, SF fell to MVNU by a final score of 89-81.

Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 21 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.