UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – The Otterbein women's basketball team faced a setback on the road Wednesday night, coming in the form of an 81-66 loss to host John Carroll inside the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center.

The Cardinals, with a chance to clinch a spot in the OAC Tournament, will now have to wait until this weekend for a postseason chance in the league's six-team bracket. John Carroll breaks a fifth-place tie with Otterbein in the process.

WHAT WENT DOWN:

• Otterbein faced an immediate 19-7 deficit after the first quarter, shooting a tough 3 of 19 as JCU built a double-digit cushion.
   
• Those offensive struggles unfortunately continued in the second frame by shooting just 28%, compared to a very efficient 9 of 14 (.643) on the home side. Those makes helped the Blue Streaks overcome 10 turnovers before halftime.
   
• Not much improved for the visiting side in the third, where JCU stayed red hot with the highest-scoring quarter of either team all night. The hosts dropped 27 points and moved the lead to as many as 30.
   
• Otterbein kept playing and trimmed the final margin with a 26-point effort in the final quarter, but it wouldn't be nearly enough.
   

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• For the game, John Carroll shot 54% and Otterbein finished with a 29.7% output.
   
• Claire Radabaugh scored 16 off the bench to lead the Cards while Kyla Irby added another 15.
   
• Otterbein was 18 of 19 at the free-throw line and is now 43 of 44 in the past two contests.
   
• Ava Ryncarz had game-highs of 19 points and nine rebounds to lead the Blue Streaks, which clinch a spot in the postseason.

 
SENIOR SATURDAY:

The Cardinals will now look to get revenge in the season series with Mount Union this coming weekend, as the sixth (and final) OAC Tournament spot will be on the line amongst the two schools.
It will also be Senior Day in the Rike Center for Katie McCrary, Claire Radabaugh and Olivia Majors.