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GRANVILLE, Ohio – A challenging second half for the Otterbein men's basketball team Tuesday night resulted in its first loss of the season, as host Denison scored 49 points following intermission to exact some revenge after last year's loss in Westerville.

The Cardinals (3-1) held a double-digit lead at halftime before the Big Red found momentum late to ultimately post a 76-66 victory inside Livingston Gymnasium. Both sides have now traded victories over the past five meetings in this series.

HOW IT PLAYED OUT:

• Denison led early before Otterbein took control with a lopsided push beginning at the midway point of the first half, using a 14-1 run over nearly six minutes to take a 30-17 advantage…
   
• The Big Red (3-3) stopped the momentum temporarily with a pair of buckets, although the Cards received five points from Cam Evans sandwiched around a fastbreak layup from MJ Davis to get into the locker room on a high note.
   
• Denison came out strong to begin the second half, trimming the deficit to just 42-41 within six minutes of play. Otterbein threw the next punch, however, expanding its cushion back to nine (53-44) on a jumper from Bryson Lane just over the midway point.
   
• The Big Red then erupted with an 18-2 run, flipping that uphill battle into a seven-point lead (62-55) entering the closing five minutes.
   
• Otterbein didn't go anywhere and trailed by just four (68-64) with 1:56 on the clock after Dallas Patrick buried a contested three-pointer from the right wing, in which he hit the deck after releasing. Unfortunately, a pair of technical fouls in the near future would allow Denison to convert some free throws and find enough breathing room.
   

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Denison went 20 of 25 at the charity stripe while Otterbein was 14 of 16 in the category.
   
• Cam Evans, reigning OAC Player of the Week, continued his strong offensive start to the season with a new career-best 26 points on 53-percent shooting from the field.
   
• Patrick added 13 points and six rebounds while Julian Heckman added nine points and a game-high five assists off the bench.
   
• The Cardinals came in holding all three previous opponents to under 60 points this season.
   
• The Big Red shot just 4 of 22 from three-point range, but were an efficient 22 of 37 (.595) inside the arc.
   
• Ricky Ratdke also dropped 26 points for Denison, which held edges in rebounding (37-27) and points in the paint (42-30) by the final horn.