ALLIANCE, Ohio - Mount Union jumped out to an early 17-0 lead and went on to beat Bethany 92-49 in the season opener in the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex. 

In his college basketball debut freshman J.J. Kukura (Alliance/Alliance) led the team in scoring with 15 points. Senior Nate Jacubec (Struthers/Struthers) matched Kukura's 15 points with 15 of his own. Junior Taylor Moore (North Canton/Hoover), who missed all of last season with an injury, rounded out the Raiders double digit scorers with 11 points.

The Raiders (1-0 overall) were hot out of the gates scoring the first 17 points of the game. During the run Jacubec was 3-3 on three-point attempts. Bethany cut the lead to 13 at 27-14 with 9:31 left in the first half but could get no closer the rest of the game. From that point, Mount Union went on a 25-8 run to lead by a score of 52-22 at the half.

The Bison (1-1 overall) scored the first four points of the second half only to be met by a 10-0 Raiders run. This run was capped off by a thunderous one-handed dunk by Jarrett Ruffin (Northfield/Nordonia).

Mount Union led by 50 points, 87-37, with just under six minutes left in the game and went on to win by a final count of 92-49.

The men's basketball team is back in action on Friday as they travel to Wooster, Ohio to play the pre-season nationally ranked No. 10 College of Wooster at 7:00pm.