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WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein men's basketball team, playing for the first time under new head coach Brian Oilar, turned in an exciting showing Saturday night in the 2015-16 season opener, trading punches with No. 13-ranked Ohio Wesleyan University before unfortunately absorbing a close 80-75 loss.

The contest marked the second game of the evening in the newly-formed NCAC/OAC Challenge, with Wittenberg University outlasting Capital University, 87-78, in the first affair.

 

Ohio Wesleyan opened an early 9-4 lead, but the Cardinals hung tough and responded with a 13-6 spurt over the next three minutes to take a 17-15 lead.

Otterbein later grabbed a 23-22 lead, on a three-pointer from point guard Jake Phillis, as a fast-paced first half progressed. The quick-shooting Bishops then countered with an 8-1 run to open the biggest lead of the half, 30-24, with 6:33 remaining before the break.

 The Cards continued the back-and-forth exchange, scoring six-straight points as the game saw ties at 30, 32, 34, 36 and 39 before a late three-pointer gave Ohio Wesleyan a 42-39 lead entering halftime.

Both sides traded scores to begin the second half before OWU opened an 11-point lead by the midway point, getting hot from behind the arc to bury four timely three-pointers and find a little breathing room.

The Bishops extended the lead to 14 as the Cardinal offense went cold for a stretch, but Otterbein stayed within striking distance and continued to chip away at the lead. The Cards brought it back to a two-possession game with 56 seconds remaining on a three-point play from Phillis, bringing the deficit to 75-70.

Otterbein regained possession after forcing a turnover, but a three-pointer that would have made it a two-point game just missed the mark. The Cards pulled to within four points on two separate occasions in the final minute before Ohio Wesleyan ultimately survived.

Phillis scored a team-high 21 points to lead four players in double figures for Otterbein, which also got 16 from Marc McCuen, 14 from Grant Fenner and 11 from Bryan Mackenzie. Both McCuen and Mackenzie recorded double-doubles by snagging 11 rebounds each. The Cards shot 43.3 percent from the field and converted 13 of 18 free throws.

Seth Clark posted a game-high 23 points for the nationally-ranked Bishops, making four three-pointers as his team finished at 42.9 percent from the floor.. Point guard Nate Axelrod, last season's National Freshman of the Year, went for 21 points, four rebounds and four assists.

Otterbein will finish the NCAC/OAC Challenge Tuesday evening, traveling to play Wittenberg for an approximate 8 p.m. starting time. Capital and OWU will face off in the first game of the night.