By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Toledo, OH---The trio of Justin Edmonds, James Kelly and Joe Retic II combined for 68 points to help take down previously unbeaten, defending national champion and No. 1 Mott Community College 91-80 on Wednesday in the SHAC.

The Express started the game off with a 9-0 run in the first two and a half minutes. Mott, however, took only 1:07 to go on a 9-0 run of their own to tie it back up. After a lay-in by Mott's Kory Billups tied the game at 13, the Express controlled much of the rest of the game.

Edmonds, who capped the first half with an emphatic left handed dunk that put the Express up 41-32, finished with a game-high 26 points, along with three assists and two steals. He went 4-for-7 from 3-point range and 8-for-10 from the foul line.

Prior to the end of that first half, Mott cut their deficit to four at two different points, but following a missed jumper from Mott's Chester McFadden with six seconds left, Retic made an outlet pass to Edmonds, who capped the first half in style.

In the first two minutes of the second half, Mott twice cut the Express lead to three, but that was as close as they would get. After two free throws from Mott's Fred Mattison made it 43-40, the Express went on a 10-4 run to go up 53-44. The run was capped by back-to-back 3-pointers from Tony Boykins and Edmonds.

After Mott bounced back and cut the lead to five, the Express took charge for good. Retic hit a 3-pointer to give the Express a double-digit lead with 13:25 remaining, and they led by as many as 18 with 7:22 remaining.

Retic finished with a season-high 23 points, along with two rebounds, two assists and one steal. He finished 6-for-10 from the field overall, 2-for-4 from 3-point range and 9-for-10 from the foul line.

Kelly, who didn't score until 8:23 remaining in the first half, picked it up and finished with 19 points, nine rebounds and one steal. He went 9-for-17 from the field and 1-for-2 from the foul line. All nine of his rebounds came in the second half, while four of them came on the offensive end.

Boykins added eight points, while Andy Bachman had six points and five rebounds for the Express.

Mott actually shot better than the Express from the field (48.5 percent to 42.6 percent), but committed 21 turnovers. The Express also finished 9-for-22 from 3-point range and 24-for-30 from the foul line.

Mattison led Mott with 22 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, while Malik Albert had 21 points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals. McFadden added 11 points off the bench, while Devin Foster had 10 points.

Notes

The 91 points for the Express was a season high.

The Express (9-4) will take on Glen Oaks Community College at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the SHAC. They will then have 11 days off before traveling to Flint, Michigan for a Dec. 20 rematch against Mott.

The game was broadcasted live on local television station, BCSN.