Box Score
WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Senior forward Hannah Day posted a game-high 22 points, as the Cardinals disposed of Muskingum University 65-53 Saturday afternoon at the Rike Center.
The win extends the Otterbein University winning streak to eight games and improves the Cards to 14-3 overall, 8-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The loss drops the Fighting Muskies to 1-9 in league play, 6-11 overall.
Day got off to a sluggish start and scored just three points in the first half, but went on to post 19 points in the second half on 6-of-11 shooting. She added seven rebounds and three assists in the winning effort.
The Cardinals opened up a 19-9 lead with 7:51 remaining in the first half after a layup by sophomore Tabatha Piper forced a Muskingum timeout.
The Muskies chipped away at the deficit and even the score up on a buzzer-beating layup at the half that sent both teams into the locker rooms evened at 25-25.
Otterbein came out of the break on a 10-3 run through the first six minutes of the second half, but a quick five-point spurt in the next minute by Muskingum pulled them back within two points, 35-33 with 13:20 remaining in the game.
The Cardinals responded with a three pointer by Day and didn’t allow the Muskies to take a second half lead. Otterbein reclaimed a double-digit lead at the 5:45 mark when senior guard Allie Leopard buried a three pointer.
Muskingum pulled back within eight points with a three pointer, but Day answered back with a three of her own, was fouled, and completed the rare four-point-play to give Otterbein a 57-45 advantage with 3:56 left in the game.
The Cards limited the Muskies to just eight points over the final four minutes to claim their eighth straight win.
Both teams struggled to shoot the ball in the first half, but Otterbein took control in the second stanza. After shooting just 33 percent from the field in the first half, the Cards shot 50 percent (14 of 28) to finish the game shooting 42 percent. Muskingum shot 31 percent for the game, including just 5-of-25 from beyond the arc.
The Muskies were led by junior Hannah Nelson, who scored 16 of her 22 points in the second half.
Otterbein returns to action this Wednesday, Jan. 23, when they head to Marietta to take on the Pioneers for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
