Drew Buck (pictured above) had a career-high 25 points, and Peter Stanton-Shepherd had a double-double as the Muhlenberg Mules soundly defeated Lebanon Valley 79-59 Saturday afternoon.

The onslaught started early, as Muhlenberg put up 20 points in the first seven minutes of play on six-of-eight from the field and four-of-five from beyond the arc. Buck was responsible for eight of those 20 points, a sign of things to come for the sophomore. He went on to top his previous career-high of 15 points by halftime and finished the game with 25 points on just 13 shots. The highlight of his outing was a step-back three from the win with the shot clock winding down early in the second half that caught nothing but net.

Muhlenberg's constant driving and kicking were too much for the Dutchmen to handle throughout the game, leading to many open threes, especially in the first half. The Mules kept up that early momentum and ball movement throughout the game despite being down seven of their 16 rostered student-athletes due to illness.

Stanton-Shephard was another who picked up the slack, putting up 18 points and 13 rebounds to nab his second double-double of the season. His presence in the paint was crucial in deterring Dutchmen attempts at the rim. Elias Sherman-Murphy made an impact as well, scoring nine of his 11 points down the stretch when the Mules needed it most. Seven of those came in a row with nine minutes left and were essential to staving off any potential comeback.

Muhlenberg won this contest because of its dominance from the free throw line and beyond the three-point line. Buck's efficiency was aided by a four-of-four mark from the charity stripe, where the Mules made all seven of their attempts compared to 8-for-13 by the opposition. The hosts also shot 45.2% from three, making 14, while the Dutchmen responded with just three threes of their own.