Box Score

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Cardinal men's basketball team hung tough for a while before ultimately coming up short against No. 4-ranked Marietta College Wednesday evening, losing by a score of 80-56 inside the Rike Center.

The Pioneers, improving to 22-2 on the year and a near-perfect 16-1 within Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play, win their 14th-straight game and clinch the league's regular-season title as a result of No. 8 John Carroll University losing at Mount Union. Otterbein (4-20, 2-15 OAC) is now officially eliminated from postseason contention and will conclude its season Saturday with a 3 p.m. home game against Heidelberg University.

Otterbein slowed the game down from the start, working each shot clock and staying score-for-score with the Pioneers. The Cardinals found themselves ahead, 16-13, at the 10:59 mark after a jumper from freshman Connor Clark, but Marietta answered with six-straight points and eventually opened a 27-19 lead with 7:12 left before the break.

Otterbein trailed by only four, at 32-28, after a three-pointer from junior guard Jake Phillis before the Pioneers countered with a 9-0 spurt to carry a 41-28 lead into halftime.

Marietta opened a 17-point advantage early in the second half behind the strong inside play of A.J. Edwards, who notched a double-double just after intermission and finished with game-highs of 20 points and 12 rebounds on 6-of-7 shooting. He also went 8 of 10 from the free-throw line. The Pioneers opened a 61-37 lead by the midway point of the second period and never looked back.

Phillis led Otterbein offensively once again, posting 18 points on 7-of-18 from the field to mark the only Cardinal in double figures. Grant Fenner added nine points.

Dillon Young also dropped 19 to help pace the Marietta attack, which shot 51 percent from the floor, made 12 three-pointers and won the rebounding battle, 41-30. The Pioneers limited the Cards to 31 percent shooting and posted a 32-12 scoring advantage in the paint.

Otterbein's lone senior, Marc McCuen, will be recognized prior to tip-off Saturday against Heidelberg for his contributions to the program since arrival.