WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Otterbein men's basketball opened the Smokey Ballenger Classic on Monday night with an 88–51 victory over Allegheny College inside the Rike Center. With the win, the Cardinals improve to 9-2 overall.

A milestone moment highlighted the opening half as senior Julian Heckman buried a three-pointer at the 14:00 mark to record the 1,000th point of his career.

Otterbein followed with a stretch of strong defense and increased tempo. The Cardinals used a decisive 14–2 run to create separation, forcing consecutive turnovers and capitalizing in transition. During the stretch, Otterbein limited Allegheny to a single field goal over nearly four minutes, while perimeter shooting and strong interior finishes helped open a double-digit advantage.

The Cardinals continued to build on that run throughout the remainder of the half, using balanced scoring and activity on the glass to stay in control. Otterbein headed into the locker room with a 49–25 lead after shooting efficiently and holding Allegheny to 25 points in the opening 20 minutes.

Otterbein maintained control coming out of the break, continuing to pressure defensively and share the ball on the offensive end. The Cardinals extended the margin with consistent execution, winning the rebounding battle 55–32 and generating second-chance opportunities while limiting Allegheny's looks.

Depth proved to be a key factor for Otterbein, as the Cardinals received 42 points from the bench and stayed aggressive throughout the second half. Otterbein finished the night with 19 assists and just seven turnovers, maintaining control on both ends of the floor.

Sophomore Micah Germany led the Cardinals with 14 points, followed by junior Chase Garito with 13. Senior Jarius Jones and sophomore Noah Gamble each finished with 10 points, while senior Reece Huber added four assists to help guide the offense.

Otterbein will conclude the Smokey Ballenger Classic on Tuesday, Dec. 30, hosting Westminster College at 2 p.m. inside the Rike Center.