ALLIANCE, OHIO – Otterbein, now 6-17 and 4-11 in Ohio Athletic Conference play, fell 88-71 at Mount Union (11-12, 9-7 OAC) Saturday afternoon in league action.

The Cardinals took an early 20-15 lead after junior Ian Gardner made a layup with 11:49 to play in the opening half, but Mount stormed on a 13-0 run over the next five minutes to take a 28-20 lead.

The Raiders would take a 40-35 advantage into intermission.

Mount widened its lead to 47-35 in the early stages of the second half, but Otterbein fought back and closed to make it a one-possession game, at 51-48, after junior Nathan Edick connected on a three-pointer off an assists from sophomore Brice Rausch.

The Raiders then countered by scoring the game’s next nine points en route to opening a 60-48 lead with 12:27 to play.

The Cards did not go away, closing to within eight points on six different occasions as the game entered the final stretch. The margin was as close as the Cards would get, however, as Mount would push its lead to as many as 19 before taking the 88-71 victory.

Rausch led all scorers with 23 points, while sophomore center Chris Davis registered a double-double with 17 points and ten caroms. Edick buried five triples en route to a 17-point effort.

The Cards made just 8-of-26 attempts from behind the arc.

Mount, which shot a blistering .585 from the field, had five players in double-figures, led by Matt Wier’s 18.

The loss, coupled with a Marietta win, eliminates the Cardinals from OAC Tournament contention. Otterbein now stands two games back of the Pioneers with two games to play, but Marietta holds the tie-breaker scenario.

OC returns home to host Marietta Wednesday evening in the Rike Center. with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. Seniors Brian Pollock and Cory Ratai will be recognized before tip-off as part of senior night.