PHOTO GALLERY

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – A valiant effort by Otterbein against last year's NCAA Division III national runner-up just wasn't quite enough Saturday afternoon in front of a good Rike Center crowd, as No. 14-ranked Mount Union pulled away in the second half for a 79-69 final outcome.

The Cardinals, leading at various points in the first half and only trailing 45-42 by intermission, fall back to 8-5 this season. Mount improves to 12-1 this year with the only blemish being a one-point loss to Wilmington in the closing seconds.

KEY STRETCHES:

• A hectic beginning saw a combined 25 points in the initial five minutes, with neither side leading by more than five the entire first half.
   
• Ties at 22, 24 and 26 ensued midway through and the Raiders eventually took a slim three-point cushion into the break after a tip-in that beat the buzzer.
   
• Mount ran that lead to 51-42 early in the second frame as part of an 8-0 run bridging halves.
   
• A few buckets from Otterbein temporarily stopped the visitor momentum, but an ensuing 17-4 run by the Raiders in just under five minutes ballooned the lead to 16.
   
• Otterbein stayed put and attempted to climb back, slicing the margin in half and trailing by just eighth with seven minutes to play. The Cards unfortunately couldn't draw any closer with a missed shot and two turnovers over the next three trips.
   
• Mount Union bumped the lead back to double digits shortly thereafter and emerged down the stretch.

 
NOTABLE STATS:

• Mount Union first team All-American Christian Parker, also reigning OAC Player of the Year, had 24 points at halftime and finished the game with 34 in just 28-plus minutes. He was 15 of 22 shooting, corralled eight rebounds, and rested the final 5:45.
   
• Sophomore Julian Heckman scored a season-high 17 for Otterbein while also contributing five boards and four assists. Troy Scowden had 13 points and six caroms in just 20 minutes.
   
• Two other Raiders scored in double figures while Collen Gurley had eight rebounds, six points, five assists and three steals.
   
• Jack Clement tallied 12 points and six boards for the Cards, with 10 of those points coming in the first half.
   
• Mount Union held a 50-30 scoring edge in the paint and committed just six turnovers the entire day.
   
• The relatively clean game only featured a combined 15 free-throw attempts.
   

ON TO THE NEXT ONE:

• The Cards will have another stiff challenge come the middle of next week by hosting Marietta, with tip scheduled for 7 p.m.