Box Score
WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Cardinal men’s basketball team suffered a 66-60 loss to visiting University of Mount Union Saturday night in the Rike Center.
The loss drops Otterbein University to 4-4 overall, 1-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). With the victory, the Purple Raiders improve to 3-1 in the OAC, 4-5 overall.
Sophomore guard Matt McCollister led the Cardinals with a career-high 16 points and chipped in seven rebounds, while junior forward Max Van Meter was a rebound shy of a double-double (13 points, nine rebounds) on the night.
Senior Matt Kiger led three players in double-figures for Mount Union with 11 points. Senior Justen Little and sophomore Nate Jacubec each had 10 points in the Raiders win.
Mount Union held a 33-23 lead with 4:51 remaining in the first half before Otterbein stormed back with an 11-3 run to close out the frame. A pair of fast break layups by senior Zach Bakenhaster and junior C.J. Julian in the final minute trimmed the Purple Raider lead to two, 36-34, heading into the break.
Otterbein took its first lead since the 11:46 mark of the first half on a Van Meter lay-up to make the score 39-38 with 16:23 left in the game.
A layup by junior Jon Juergens was the only Cardinal basket over the next six minutes of the game, but Mount Union didn’t take advantage, tallying just eight points themselves. McCollister drained a three-pointer with 10:25 left to cut a six-point deficit to three and pull the Cards right back into the game.
Both teams exchanged buckets down the stretch, but Mount Union never relinquished the lead.
Otterbein trailed by only three, 57-54, with 3:11 remaining in the game. Kiger went on to score the next five points for the Purple Raiders to extend their lead to eight, 62-54, with 1:38 left in the contest.
Otterbein cut Mount’s lead to five on a McCollister three-pointer, but the Purple Raiders hit enough free throws in the final minute to secure the win.
Neither team could seize much momentum away from the other as both teams struggled from the field. Mount Union converted only five of 27 attempts (.185) from three-point territory, including 1 of 11 (.091) in the second half, to shoot just 36 percent from the field.
Otterbein hit 12 of 26 (.462) attempts from the field and 9 of 14 (.643) free throws in the first half, but struggled in the second frame. The Cardinals shot 9 of 32 (.281) in the second half, and 4 of 10 (.400) from the charity stripe.
The Cardinals return to action this Wednesday night when they travel to Ada to take on Ohio Northern University (6-4, 2-1 OAC). Opening-tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
