Box Score

NEW CONCORD, Ohio – The Otterbein University men’s basketball team snapped its seven-game losing skid Saturday afternoon, leaving Muskingum University with a 74-61 victory.

The win gives the Cardinals a season sweep over the Muskies, having also tallied a 72-60 win in Westerville back on Dec. 8.

Otterbein, which saw five players score in double figures, moves to 6-11 this season and 3-7 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) with the win. Muskingum, meanwhile, falls to 1-16 overall and 0-10 against the OAC.

The Cardinals opened the game on a 12-2 run that spanned the first five minutes, but the Muskies slowly climbed back and pulled to within one, 21-20, after a layup from Christian Keller at the 9:28 mark.

Otterbein took a slim 41-39 lead into halftime behind 11 first-half points from junior Max Van Meter, who was coming off the bench for the first time this season.

A Zach Bakenhaster layup started the scoring for Otterbein in the second half, and the Cards later opened a 57-46 lead with 11:51 to go after a pair of Bakenhaster free throws.

The Muskies quickly scored six of the next seven points to trail by six, but Otterbein would be too strong in widening the lead and securing the win.

Van Meter and classmate Jon Juergens each scored to 15 points to lead the way, with Bakenhaster turning in 14 points and seven caroms.  The 15 points for Juergens marks a new career best.

Senior Tommy Waterwash buried four three-pointers en route to a season-high 12 points, while Colin Echelberry chipped in 10.

Keller and Dave Brown scored 16 and 13, respectively, to lead the Muskingum attack.

Otterbein committed just eight turnovers in the contest, shooting 23 of 54 (.430) from the field and 20 of 24 at the free-throw line. The Cardinals held Muskingum to .375 from the floor and just 2 of 11 from beyond the arc.

Otterbein resumes action Wednesday evening, returning home to host Marietta College in the Rike Center at 7:30 p.m. The Pioneers handed Otterbein a 90-62 loss earlier this season.