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WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Otterbein University men's basketball was dealt a home loss to begin Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play Wednesday evening, falling 109-72 to No. 22-ranked Marietta College inside the Rike Center.

The Cardinals (1-5, 0-1 OAC) will resume conference action Saturday afternoon with a 3 p.m. start at Muskingum University. Otterbein won both matchups with the Muskies a year ago by double digits.

The game was fast-paced from the start, with Otterbein guard Andy Yazrombek creating back-to-back layups for post Grant Fenner to help give the team a slim 13-12 lead after five minutes of action.

Marietta (5-1, 1-0 OAC) eventually found an offensive groove, going on a 16-3 run over the next six-plus minutes to open a 28-16 lead.

The hot-shooting Pioneers extended the lead all the way to 19 before a quick five points from the Cardinals ended the first half at 51-37. Marietta shot a blistering 61.1 percent from the field and 70 percent from three-point range during the opening half.

A three-pointer from Jake Bischoff pulled Otterbein within 12 to begin the second, but Marietta caught fire yet again to balloon the lead back to 19, at 61-42.

Both sides continued to trade baskets as the second-half progressed, with the visitors slowly extending the margin and maintaining a comfortable lead throughout.

Bischoff finished with a team-high 18 points for the Cardinals, shooting 7 of 11 from the field but just 1 of 5 from behind the arc. Fenner scored a season-high 13 off the bench while Yazrombek marked the third Cardinal in double figures at 11.

Brennan McKean led five Marietta players in double figures, burying five three-pointers en route to a game-best 19 points. The Pioneers, playing without starting point guard Tyler Hammond, shot a staggering .632 from the field which included nailing 10 of 18 three-pointers. The Pioneers also held a 48-32 rebounding edge.