TIFFIN, Ohio – A tough ending to the first half translated into an even more disappointing second half Saturday afternoon for the Otterbein men's basketball team, which dropped a 90-80 conference game at Heidelberg inside Seiberling Gymnasium.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Otterbein opened crisp offensively, dropping 25 points in the initial 12 minutes to create a three-possession ball game. Heidelberg closed within four but a 9-0 run for the Cardinals opened their largest lead of the first half… 37-24 with just a few minutes on the clock.
   
• A nasty momentum swing went against the Cards to end the first half, leading 39-31 and essentially holding for one shot with just a few seconds differential. Dallas Patrick corralled an offensive rebound and fought through contact for a potential put-back. After no whistle, Patrick was called for a loose ball foul in the same sequence with just 0.1 on the clock. At the same time, head coach Andy Winters was abruptly called for a technical foul…
   
• Heidelberg made four consecutive free throws as part of a 4-6 point swing, flipping what could have been a 41-31 Otterbein lead into a lesser 39-35 advantage.
   
• That momentum stayed with Heidelberg to begin the second half as the Student Princes launched the frame with a 24-6 run. All in all, it became a 35-8 stretch for the home team bridging nine minutes of action.
   
• Otterbein later trailed by 18 with seven minutes remaining but didn't go quietly. The Cards admirably whittled the gap down to just 83-76 (with 2:50 left) before running out of gas.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Otterbein shot 47% for the game and had four players score double figures – Julian Heckman (19), Cam Evans (18), Troy Scowden (15) and Brennan Rains (11). Evans shot 7 of 11 from the field.
   
• Dallas Patrick flirted with a double-double, resting with nine points and a team-high seven boards.
   
• The Student Princes scored 55 points in the second half, where they shot 61% in the frame.
   
• Seth Homan and Jashun Cobb (off the bench) both tallied 18 points on the home side.
   
• Otterbein was an incredibly productive 18 of 20 at the free-throw line.

THE AFTERMATH:

Otterbein now stands 14-9 overall and 8-8 within the Ohio Athletic Conference, currently alone in fifth place. The Cardinals are one game back of Marietta and one game ahead of both Capital/Baldwin Wallace with one week remaining in the regular season.

The top-six teams will qualify for the league's postseason tournament. Otterbein hosts Wilmington this coming Wednesday before heading to nationally-ranked Mount Union next weekend.