PHOTO GALLERY
WESTERVILLE, Ohio – It was another tough result despite another one-possession battle down the stretch for Otterbein on Saturday afternoon in the Rike Center, as the Cardinals just couldn't overtake/outlast a high-scoring Heidelberg team in OAC play.
The Cards, back on the floor after a full week off for final exams, soared back to tie the game late before eventually settling with an 87-77 final result after fouling in the closing stretch.
Heidelberg, averaging 86 points per game coming in, posted more of the same behind a standout performance from Isaiah Young. The Student Princes improve to 3-0 in league play behind their lead guard, who dropped 34 points on a crisp 11-of-17 shooting.
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Otterbein led 16-12 early on before a quick 11-0 run by Heidelberg flipped the script, with the visitors leading 23-16 across the midway point of the first half.
The Student Princes stayed on the gas pedal, all part of an eventual 20-4 spurt, that extended the gap to as many as 12. Otterbein hung close and ultimately trailed by just eight (42-34) entering the break.
An energized home team flew out of the locker room, immediately slicing the deficit to a single possession (49-46) after a trifecta from
Jared Kreager in the opening minutes. The game of runs saw Heidelberg counter again and pushed the lead back to a dozen, forcing Otterbein into playing catch-up the remainder of the way.
The Cards chipped away and did just that, methodically inching closer to tie the game (73-73, 75-75) before a steal from
Julian Heckman and fast-break layup to
Cam Evans gave Otterbein its first lead (77-75) in nearly 30 minutes of game time.
Unfortunately, an old-fashioned three-point play on the opposite end pushed Heidelberg back in front and the visitors never trailed again. Otterbein missed its last seven shots from the field along with the front end of a one-and-one down just 80-77, as the 'Berg finished the day on a 12-0 run over the final 3:31.
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Young made all but one free throw and just missed a double-double, also pulling down eight rebounds for Heidelberg. He was the team's only scorer in double figures until the very end when center Eric Panning (the OAC's leading rebounder) got to 11 points and 10 boards.
Evans led Otterbein with 21 points and seven rebounds, coming on an 8-of-16 effort from the field.
Jack Clement added 11 points and five assists while three other Cardinals scored eight-plus.
Otterbein shot better from the field at a 49-percent clip, but the Student Princes benefited from a massive discrepancy at the charity stripe. They finished 26 of 31 compared to just 8 of 12 for Otterbein.
The Cardinals tallied 44 of their 77 points in the paint.
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Otterbein will get back to action next Saturday up north, traveling to play Baldwin Wallace for another start at 1 p.m.
