Mount Union's men's basketball team begins its Ohio Athletic Conference schedule Saturday at 4 p.m. against Otterbein at the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex. Originally a 3 p.m. tip-off, the game was pushed back an hour due to the Purple Raider football team hosting Wabash Valley (Ind.) in an NCAA Playoff game at noon.

Mount Union (3-2) lost on the road to Waynesburg (Pa.), 55-52, in their most recent game, snapping a three-game win streak. The Raiders are 1-1 at home on the season. With numerous new players and a new coaching staff, the Raiders have been inconsistent on offense thus far. It has been the strength of their defense that has allowed them to have early success. Mount Union ranks first in the conference in defensive three-point field goal percentage (.274), second in defensive field goal percentage (.359), and third in points allowed (63.2 ppg).

The Purple Raiders average 69.2 ppg overall, but average 80 ppg at home. Senior forward Jimmy Wood (Wintersville/Indian Creek) leads the Raiders with 16.2 ppg, ranking sixth in the conference. He is also tied for fourth in the conference in free throw percentage (.833) and tied for fifth in rebounding (6.8 rpg). Wood is averaging 24.5 ppg and 8 rpg in home games.

Sophomore guard T.J. Gillespie (Toledo/St. John's) and freshman forward Stevie Griffin (Canton/Massillon Jackson) both average 11 ppg for the Raiders. Griffin is shooting 48% from three-point range and has made a team-best 12 three-pointers on the season. He was named Most Valuable Player at the Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Tournament hosted by Geneva (Pa.) College two weekends ago.

Freshman guard Nate Jacubec (Struthers/Struthers) is averaging 10.2 ppg to go along with a team-best 14 assists. Jacubec is also second on the team with nine made three-point field goals. Junior Tom Berlekamp (North Royalton/Holy Name) is tied with Wood for the team lead in rebounding (6.8 rpg) to go with 13 assists and eight steals.

Otterbein (1-3) enters the game on a three-game skid following losses to Thiel (Pa.), Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), and Ithaca (N.Y.). After exploding for 94 points in a season-opening win over Westminster (Pa.), the Cardinals have struggled to score, averaging just 67 ppg. Their defense has not been strong either, ranking second-to-last in the conference in both defensive field goal percentage (.486) and points allowed (78.5 ppg).

Preseason All-American Chris Davis, who led the OAC in both scoring and rebounding a season ago, leads Otterbein with 16.8 ppg and a conference-best 11.5 rpg. Senior Brice Rausch (16 ppg, 5 rpg), sophomore Max Van Meter (12.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg), and freshman RaNeal Ewing (12.5 ppg) have also contributed for the Cardinals.

Tickets for the game will be available at the door and pre-sale tickets will not be available. Admission to the game is $5 for adults and $3 for students.

There will be an online LIVE AUDIO broadcast and LIVE STATS of the game.

Last Meeting

Mount Union fell behind 17-7 early and never recovered on its way to a 82-61 loss at Otterbein last season. The Purple Raiders trailed, 37-24, at halftime and were never able to get closer than 12 points the rest of the game.

Jimmy Wood led the Raiders in scoring with 16 points while Dave Pellerite added 12 points and a team-best seven rebounds. Matt Wier, T.J. Gillespie, and Matt Kiger added nine, seven, and five points, respectively.

Chris Davis recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds for Otterbein. C.J. Julian made five three-pointers off the bench on his way to a game-high 19 points. Max Van Meter (18), Nathan Edick (12), and Zach Bakenhaster (10) also scored in double-figures for the Cardinals.

Projected Mount Union Starters

• #35 Tom Berlekamp, 6-5, Jr. F – 3.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.6 apg
• #4   Jimmy Wood, 6-6, Sr., F – 16.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 83.3% FT
• #31 Matt Wier, 6-7, Sr., C – 7.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg
• #20 Nate Jacubec, 5-11, Fr., G – 10.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.8 apg
• #3   Justen Little, 5-11, Jr., G – 2.4 ppg, 2.6 apg, 2.2 rpg

Projected Otterbein Starters

• #32 Max Van Meter, 6-5, So., F – 12.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg
• #52 Zach Bakenhaster, 6-5, Jr., F – 5.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg
• #50 Chris Davis, 6-6, Sr., C – 16.8 ppg, 11.5 rpg
• #30 Brice Rausch, 6-3, Sr., G – 16.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
• #24 RaNeal Ewing, 5-11, Fr., G – 12.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg

Coaches

Mike Fuline (Kent State '98) is in his first season at Mount Union after a successful career at the high school level that included winning the 2010 OHSAA Division I State Championship at Massillon Jackson. Fuline has the Purple Raiders off to a 3-2 start heading into his first OAC game.

Dick Reynolds (Otterbein '65) is in his 40th season at his alma mater. Reynolds boasts a 645-412 career record, making him the winningest coach in OAC history and ranking sixth among Division III coaches all-time. A nine-time OAC Coach of the Year, Reynolds guided the Cardinals to the 2002 NCAA Division III National Championship and was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

The Series

This is the 101st meeting between the teams with Otterbein holding a 60-40 lead in the series. Otterbein has won three of the last five meetings and the teams split their season series a year ago with the road team winning each game – Mount Union 84-81 in Westerville and Otterbein 82-61 in Alliance.

High School Reunion

Both teams have at least one person who was a part of Massillon Jackson's 2010 state title run. Mount Union head coach Mike Fuline was coaching Jackson at the time and freshman Stevie Griffin was a junior who came off the bench for that team. Otterbein sophomore C.J. Julian was a starting guard for the Polar Bears.

Mount Union Player Notes

Jordan Albert - So., G, Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair

• Averages 2.8 ppg off the bench
• Career-high 7 points at Waynesburg (11/26/11)
• Transferred from Division II Pitt-Johnstown

Tom Berlekamp - Jr., F, North Royalton/Holy Name

• Tied for team lead in rebounds (6.8) and second in assists (13)
• Averages 3.6 ppg
• Career-high in points (7), rebounds (14), and assists (4) vs. Grove City (11/18/11)
• Career-high 5 steals at Geneva (11/19/11)
• Transferred from Lakeland Community College

Jimmy Darnley - So., F, Canton/GlenOak

• Played in 15 games during 2010-11 season
• Career-high 5 points at Ohio Northern (2/12/11)
• Career-high 4 rebounds vs. Wilmington (2/5/11)

T.J. Gillespie - So., G, Toledo/St. John's

• Tied for second on team in scoring (11.0)
• Season-high 19 points vs. Grove City (11/18/11)
• Career-high 20 points vs. Ohio Northern (1/8/11)
• Career-high 5 assists vs. Otterbein (1/22/11)

Stevie Griffin - Fr., F, Canton/Massillon Jackson

• Tied for second on team in scoring (11.0) and 3-pointers (9)
• Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Tournament MVP
• Career-high 22 points and 6 three-pointers off the bench at Geneva (11/19/11)
• Career-high 8 rebounds and 4 assists vs. Westminster (11/22/11)
• Played for Coach Fuline at Massillon Jackson High School
• Won 2010 OHSAA Division I state title at Jackson

Nate Jacubec - Fr., G, Struthers/Struthers

• Fourth on team in scoring (10.2) and first in assists (14)
• Career-high 17 points vs. Westminster (11/22/11)
• Career-high 3 three-pointers vs. Grove City (11/18/11)
• Career-high 5 assists vs. Hiram (11/15/11)

Matt Kiger - Jr., F, Williamstown, W.Va./Williamstown

• Averages 4.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, and leads the team in FG% (.714)
• Season-high 11 points and 5 rebounds off the bench at Geneva (11/19/11)
• Career-high 20 points at Otterbein (12/4/10) and vs. Waynesburg (12/30/10)
• Career-high 9 rebounds vs. Waynesburg (12/30/10)

Justen Little - Jr., G, Galion/Galion

• Career-high 5 points vs. Westminster (11/22/11)
• Career-high 5 rebounds at Geneva (11/19/11)
• Career-high 6 assists at Baldwin-Wallace (2/16/11)

Colton Troyer - Jr., F, Millersburg/Berlin Hiland

• Averages 6.4 minutes off the bench
• Transferred from Hesston College (Kan.)

Matt Wier - Sr., F, New Castle, Pa./Mohawk

• Sixth on team in scoring (7.2) and tied for third in rebounding (4.0)
• Season-high 19 points vs. Hiram (11/15/11)
• Career-high 28 points vs. Ohio Northern (12/12/09)
• Career-high 9 rebounds at Hiram (11/15/10), vs. Waynesburg (12/30/10), and vs. Hiram (11/15/11)
• Played one season on a baseball scholarship at West Virginia

Keith Williams - Jr., G, Louisville, Ky./Brown

• Averaging 7.5 ppg off the bench
• Career-high 13 points to go with 4 steals and 3 assists in season debut vs. Westminster (11/22/11)

Jimmy Wood - Sr., F, Wintersville/Indian Creek

• Leads team in scoring (16.2) and tied for first in rebounding (6.8)
• Needs 92 points to reach 1,000 for his career
• Season-high 29 points vs. Hiram (11/15/11)
• Season -high 10 rebounds vs. Westminster (11/22/11)
• Career-high 30 points at Wilmington (1/30/10)
• Career-high 12 rebounds at John Carroll (2/22/11)
• Dad (Jim) played basketball at Georgia Tech