BEAVER FALLS, Pa.—The Mount Union men's basketball team used a strong overtime performance to topple Grove City (Pa.), 71-64, in the opening game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Tournament on the campus of Geneva (Pa.) College. The win was the first for head coach Mike Fuline at the collegiate level.

A three-pointer as time expired in regulation by Christian Locher sent the game into overtime. The Purple Raiders then used outstanding defense to outscore the Wolverines 9-2 in the extra session. Grove City did not record their first points of overtime until just ten seconds remained.

Trailing 55-54, junior Tom Berlekamp (North Royalton/Holy Name) headed to the line and calmly sank two free throws to put Mount Union ahead, 56-55 with 42 seconds remaining in regulation. Senior Jimmy Wood (Wintersville/Indian Creek) got a steal on the ensuing Grove City possession and Berlekamp sank two more free throws to increase the lead to 58-55 with 22 seconds remaining.

After a basket by the Wolverines, Berlekamp sank another pair of free throws to make it 60-57 with 14 seconds left. Following another basket by Grove City, sophomore T.J. Gillespie (Toldeo/St. John's) made a pair of free throws with seven second left to make it 62-59, setting up Locher's shot at the buzzer.

Mount Union led most of the night and were ahead by as many as 11 points with 9:35 to play in the second half. Gillespie scored 13 of his game-high 19 points in the first half to send the Raiders to the half with a 29-24 lead.

Freshman Nate Jacubec (Struthers/Struthers) added a career-high 13 points and Wood, who was scoreless in just seven minutes of action in the first half due to foul trouble, added 12 points and nine rebounds. Berlekamp finished the game with seven points, a game-high 14 rebounds, and team-best four assists.

Defense was key to victory for the Purple Raiders. They held Grove City to just 5-of-22 (22.7%) from behind the three-point line and 22-of-66 shooting (33.3%) overall. Mount Union also held a 48-41 advantage on the glass.

Locher and Mitch Marmelstein led Grove City (1-1) with ten points apiece. Nate Rambacher and Kris Verderber led the Wolverines with seven rebounds.

Mount Union (1-1) will play their second game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Tournament against host Geneva (Pa.) at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

MOUNT UNION 62, GROVE CITY 62

MOUNT UNION (1-1)
T.J. Gillespie 5-11 7-8 18; Nate Jacubec 3-10 0-0 9; Jimmy Wood 3-7 1-2 8;
Tom Berlekamp 0-2 7-9 7; Matt Wier 2-5 2-6 6; Stevie Griffin 2-5 0-0 6;
Jordan Albert 2-4 0-0 5; Justen Little 1-1 0-0 3; Matt Kiger 0-0 0-1 0;
Colton Troyer 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 18-47 17-26 62.

GROVE CITY (1-1)
Christian Locher 3-9 1-2 10; Mitch Marmelstein 4-10 2-3 10; Brett Matson 2-6
4-5 9; Nate Rambacher 4-5 1-2 9; Kris Verderber 2-8 4-4 8; J.T. Schwartz 3-8
1-2 8; Christian Durbin 2-7 2-2 6; Steve Battaglia 1-1 0-0 2; Josh Patterson
0-0 0-1 0; Matt Loftis 0-0 0-0 0; Brian Giesler 0-2 0-0 0; Cody Fleeger 0-0
0-0 0; Josh Eberly 0-1 0-0 0; Rob Zewe 0-1 0-0 0; Mike Grist 0-1 0-0 0.
Totals 21-59 15-21 62.

Mount Union...................   29   33    9  -   71
Grove City....................   24   38    2  -   64

3-point goals--Mount Union 9-21 (Nate Jacubec 3-8; Stevie Griffin 2-3; Jimmy
Wood 1-1; Justen Little 1-1; T.J. Gillespie 1-5; Jordan Albert 1-1; Colton
Troyer 0-1; Tom Berlekamp 0-1), Grove City 5-19 (Christian Locher 3-7; Brett
Matson 1-2; J.T. Schwartz 1-4; Christian Durbin 0-2; Brian Giesler 0-1;
Mitch Marmelstein 0-3). Fouled out--Mount Union-Matt Wier, Grove City-None.
Rebounds--Mount Union 40 (Tom Berlekamp 11), Grove City 37 (Kris Verderber
7). Assists--Mount Union 12 (Tom Berlekamp 3; Matt Wier 3), Grove City 8
(J.T. Schwartz 4). Total fouls--Mount Union 24, Grove City 25. Technical
fouls--Mount Union-None, Grove City-None. A-320
Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Tournament