Box Score

MARIETTA, Ohio – The Cardinal men's basketball team played ninth-ranked Marietta College tough for one half Wednesday evening, trailing by just seven at the break before watching the Pioneers pull away after intermission and win, 95-69.

Marietta, coming off back-to-back losses after winning 21-straight to begin the season, gets itself back into the drivers' seat for the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) regular-season title after Mount Union suffered an 87-81 defeat to John Carroll.

The Pioneers used a quick 6-0 run to break open an early 14-14 tie, but the Cardinals (3-21, 2-15 OAC) quickly responded with a 10-3 spurt to jump ahead, 24-23, with 6:44 to play before intermission. Marietta answered back with seven-consecutive points before ultimately taking a 41-34 cushion into halftime.

Otterbein sophomore Grant Fenner entered halftime with a game-best 11 points as the Cardinals limited Marietta to just 4 of 17 from three-point range in the period.

Marietta began to widen the lead as the second-half progressed, getting its cushion to 20 less than six minutes in and playing to victory.

Fenner and guard Jake Phillis each scored 17 to lead Otterbein while Darrell Miller III chipped in 10.

Marietta, getting a game-high 20 points off the bench from AJ Edwards, grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and only committed six turnovers throughout to ultimately attempt 21 more shots than the Cardinals. The Pioneers shot 53 percent for the game compared to Otterbein's 44-percent mark.

Otterbein will conclude its season Saturday afternoon on the road, traveling to face off against Heidelberg University at 3 p.m.