Box Score
OAC Tournament Information

TIFFIN, Ohio – The Cardinal men’s basketball team closed out the 2012-13 regular season with a 60-54 loss at Heidelberg University Saturday afternoon.

The loss drops Otterbein University to 7-18 overall, 4-14 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), and locks them into the eighth and final seed in the upcoming OAC Tournament. The Cardinals will now travel to John Carroll University Monday evening for an opening round game.

The win clinches the seventh seed for the Student Princes, who improve to 6-12 in league play, 11-14 overall.

Senior Zach Bakenhaster finished a rebound shy of a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds to lead the Tan and Cardinal, while senior Tommy Waterwash and junior Max Van Meter both chipped in eight points in the loss.

Senior Dane Givner led the Berg with a game-high 20 points, including 10 of 12 from the free-throw line.

Neither Otterbein nor Heidelberg could establish much in the first 10 minutes of the game. Prior to a Student Prince layup that gave the home team a 10-4 lead with 11:13 left in the half, the Berg was shooting just 3 of 14 from the field, while the Cardinals shot just 2 of 8 in the same span.

Both teams found some rhythm in the second 10 minutes of the opening frame, but Heidelberg maintained the lead throughout and took a 29-20 lead into the intermission.

Otterbein came out of halftime on a 12-5 run over the first eight minutes of the second half and took their first lead since the opening minute when Van Meter hit a layup to give the Cards a 36-35 lead with 12:30 remaining in the game.

Heidelberg regained control with a quick 12-4 spurt, capped off by an alley-oop dunk, to put them up 47-40 with 8:20 left in the contest.

The Cards rallied back once again with an 8-0 run to reclaim the lead, 48-47, with 5:19 remaining in the game.

The game was evened up at 51-51 with 2:24 after freshman Jake Bischoff split a pair of free-throws, but Otterbein made just one of its final four shots of the game.

Meanwhile, Heidelberg tallied off nine points in the final 1:46, including 7-of-8 from the free throw line, to pick up the win and the seventh seed in the OAC Tournament.

Although Otterbein shot 23 of 52 (44 percent) from the field compared to the Berg who shot just 20 of 54 (37 percent), the Student Princes made 18 free throws on 28 attempts (64 percent), while the Cards only went to the charity stripe seven times.

Otterbein was also hampered by 20 turnovers, with Heidelberg being credited with 12 steals.

The Cardinals will head to John Carroll Monday, Feb. 18, for their opening round game at 7:30 p.m. Although Otterbein finished ninth in the OAC standings, a self-imposed postseason tournament ban at Baldwin Wallace for this season propels the Cardinals into the conference tournament.

The Blue Streaks swept the season series with a 60-52 home win on Jan. 16 before they came away with a 78-73 win this past Wednesday at the Rike Center.