After limiting Mount Vernon Nazarene to a 5-of-20 mark from beyond the arc in the first half, as part of a 15-of-34 effort overall from the floor, St. Ambrose watched MVNU hit eight 3-pointers in the second half as the Cougars pulled away for an 89-77 win in Lee Lohman Arena Monday afternoon.

Mount Vernon Nazarene (11-1) connected on eight of its 16 3-point tries in the second half. The Cougars were 17-of-30 overall from the floor over the final 20 minutes, nearly a 57-percent performance.

The Bees, who trailed just 40-36 at halftime, couldn't keep up. MVNU built a 21-point lead late in the game before SAU scored the final nine points to account for the final score.

While Mount Vernon Nazarene got hot, St. Ambrose never found its touch from deep. SAU was 1-of-8 from 3-point range in the first half and only slightly improved to a 4-of-17 effort in the second. That proved to be the difference as the Bees finished with one more made field goal, one extra rebound and a 58-33 edge in bench points.

Will Spriggs led the team with 20 points. He was one of three to score in double figures off the bench, along with Aiden Cilladi (12 points) and Grant Mason (11). Ty Slager finished with nine points.

Atem Agot led the starters with seven points. Guillermo Narbona and Ryan Kenney each dropped in six. Ignacio Dacunda and Max Steiner scored three points apiece off the bench.

Cilladi grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Spriggs was credited with five assists while Jake Friel handed out four.

St. Ambrose (6-6) will host Concordia (Neb.) on Dec. 30.