WESTERVILLE, Ohio--Career-high scoring nights from sophomore forward Matt Kiger (Williamstown, W.Va./Williamstown) with 20 off the bench and senior guard Ben Hodkinson (Tippecanoe/Harrison Central) who matched his career-high with 19 points along with a career-best 12 assists led Mount Union's men's basketball team to an 84-81 victory at Otterbein Saturday in the Ohio Athletic Conference opener.

The Purple Raiders held an 82-81 lead with only seconds left when Hodkinson came up with a key steal and a pair of free throws to put the game away.

Hodkinson along with teammate and fellow senior Dave Pellerite (Olmsted Falls/Olmsted Falls) combined to score nine points over the final two minutes to break a 75-75 tie and hand Mount Union its second win of the season (2-4, 1-0).

Pellerite tallied 13 points as the Raiders shot 59.1-percent from the floor (26-of-44) and 83.9-percent from the free throw line (26-of-31).

Otterbein (2-3, 0-1) got a game-high 26 points from Bryce Rausch and 20 from Chris Davis.

A close first half saw Mount Union lead by as many as five points, 33-28 on a Hodinkson jumper with just under four minutes left, but Otterbein rallied to trail just 36-35 at the break.

The second half was back and forth with 12 lead changes and nine ties with the final one of those ties coming at 75 after a Davis free throw with two minutes left.  Pellerite then scored four-straight and six of the next eight points to put the Raiders up for good.

Mount Union continues its season opening nine-game road trip Wednesday, Dec. 8 at John Carroll.  Tip-off is slated for 7 pm in University Heights.

NOTE - The Mount Union-Capital doubleheader scheduled for next Saturday, Dec. 11 in Alliance has been moved to Columbus at The Capital Center starting with the women at 2 pm and men at 4 pm.  The teams will meet in Alliance on Jan. 29 at the same times.