WESTERVILLE, OHIO – The Otterbein University men’s basketball team prepares to open conference play Saturday evening at 7 p.m., hosting the University of Mount Union in the Rike Center.
The Cards enter the contest sitting at 2-2 on the season, and most recently earned a split at the Wabash College Tournament. The team fell 71-61 to host Wabash on day one before turning around to grab an 83-77 victory over the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Junior center Chris Davis leads Otterbein in both scoring (16.3 ppg ) and rebounding (8.6 rpg ), while junior Brice Rausch has posted 14.8 points per contest so far this season. Rausch enters the conference opener fresh off scoring a career-high 27 points on 9-of-16 shooting in the win over Wisc. La-Crosse. He scored 23 points in the team’s last meeting with Mount Union.
Davis is shooting .581 from the field and has converted on 15-of-20 free-throw attempts.
Senior sharpshooter Nathan Edick led the league in three-point percentage a season ago, and has buried six three-pointers in three games this season.
Sophomore Zach Bakenhaster has contributed 7.8 ppg and 8.3 rpg in his new role as a starter, and leads the team with six blocks. Talented freshman C.J. Julian, Max Van Meter, and Matt McCollister figure to play key roles as the team begins to navigate its way through the league schedule. All three have seen significant minutes so far this season, with Julian tallying 9.5 ppg and a team-best 17 assists so far.
Mount Union features four players averaging double figures, with junior Jimmy Wood leading the way at an even 13 ppg.
Talented all-conference forward Dave Pellerite is back for his last season as a Purple Raider, and is currently posting 11 points and seven rebounds per night while shooting .450 from the field.
Senior point guard Ben Hodkinson junior forward Matt Wier also serve as viable threats, averaging 12.2 and 10.2 ppg, respectively.
The two schools split against one another last season, with each winning on its home floor. The Cards notched a 63-48 victory behind 29 points from senior Brian Pollock in early January, while Mount turned back Otterbein 88-71 on Feb 13. Five Raiders scored in double figures during the win, with Wier’s 14 leading the way.
