The Muhlenberg men’s basketball game on Groundhog Day played out like the movie Groundhog Day: For the fourth time in a month, close meant no cigar and no win against a quality opponent.

As in previous games against Franklin & Marshall, Johns Hopkins and Ursinus, the Mules (6-12) trailed most of the game, then made a late push that fell short. This time the opponent was nationally ranked DeSales, and the final score was 72-68.

The loss spoiled a monster effort from freshman Jeff Stewart, who scored a career-high 30 points to go along with 10 rebounds and four assists. Stewart is the second Muhlenberg freshman to score 30 points in a game this year (joining Tom Scott); that had happened only once in team history entering the season.

The Bulldogs (15-3), who were ranked 17th before dropping a pair of games last week, used an 11-0 run to break a 15-all tie midway through the first half, as the Mules went more than seven minutes without a field goal. The bulge was 10 points at halftime and grew to 14 in the second half before Muhlenberg made its move.

DeSales led by 11, 64-53, with 6:25 remaining, but a layup by Scott and a three-pointer by junior Donté Borden cut the gap to six. The spread seesawed back between six and eight points for the next three minutes until sophomore Mike Goin drilled a three-pointer to make it 70-65 with 1:18 left.

A Bulldog free throw was followed by another Goin three, making the score 71-68 with 21 ticks left. But that would be as close as the Mules got. DeSales made one of two free throws for the final margin.

Stewart’s 30 points came on 13-of-17 shooting. Goin finished with a career-high nine points, making three second-half three-pointers, and freshman Chris Pothering, in just his third game and first start for Muhlenberg, finished with 11 points.

The Mules had 21 assists against only nine turnovers and held DeSales, one of the Division III leaders in shooting percentage, to 39.7 percent from the field.

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