Robert Malone’s layup with five seconds remaining proved to be the difference, giving the Rockford College Regents a 79-78 win over the Dominican University men’s basketball team in Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) action on Wednesday night.

Dominican trailed 41-28 at the break, but battled back to take a 75-76 lead on a basket by Marquis Turley (Grand Rapids, Mich.) with two minutes to play. The Stars extended the lead to three on their next possession as Darrius Nelson (Michigan City, Ind.) got a steal and lay in. After the Regents cut the lead back to 78-77 on their next possession, the Stars had the ball and a one-point lead in the final minute of play but a turnover led to Malone’s game-winner.

Turley led five Stars in double-figures scoring with a team-high 18 points. The senior guard went 7-for-12 from the field and converted on 4-of-6 trips to the foul line. Milos Mandic (Munster, Ind.) and Jovan Turley (Grand Rapids, Mich.) came off the bench to combine for 25 points for Dominican, scoring 13 and 12 points respectively, while Nelson and freshman Logan Harris (Pleasant Plains, Ill.) added ten points apiece.

Malone paced the Regents with a season-high 38 points. The Regents senior guard was 15-for-29 from the field, including 3-for-8 from three-point range, and connected on 5-of-8 attempts from the free throw line.

The loss drops Dominican back to 4-4 overall and 2-1 in the NAC. The Stars return to action on Saturday when they host the Maranatha Baptist Bible College Crusaders in NAC play. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. in Dominican’s Igini Sports Forum.