Mount Union's men's basketball team continues its quest for its first Ohio Athletic Conference win when John Carroll visits the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex Wednesday night at 7:30 pm.

The Purple Raiders (3-3) lost their conference opener, 82-79, to Otterbein on Saturday. The Raiders are just 1-2 at home on the season, despite averaging almost 18 more points than in road/neutral court games. Outside of allowing 59 second half points to Otterbein on Saturday, the Raiders have been a much-improved defense from a year ago. Mount Union ranks second in the conference in defensive field goal percentage (.384) and third in defensive three-point field goal percentage (.291).

The Purple Raiders average 70.8 points per game and are led by senior forward Jimmy Wood (Wintersville/Indian Creek), who is second in the conference with 18.3 points per game while also leading the team with 6.7 rebounds per game. Wood, who needs 69 points to reach 1,000 for his career, is averaging 26.0 points per game at home.

A pair of freshmen, guard Nate Jacubec (Struthers/Struthers) and forward Stevie Griffin (Canton/Massillon Jackson) also average double-figures for the Raiders. Jacubec is scoring 10.5 points per game while leading the team in minutes (32.2 per game). Griffin scores 10.o points per game off the bench and has made a team-best 13 three-pointers.

Junior guard T.J. Gillespie (Toledo/St. John's) returned against Otterbein after missing two games and averages 8.8 points per game. Junior Justen Little (Galion/Galion) has replaced Gillespie in the starting lineup and leads the Raiders with 20 assists.

John Carroll (4-1) enters the game on a four-game winning streak after defeating Capital, 75-64 in their conference opener on Saturday. The Blue Streaks look to push the tempo and score 90.0 points per game to lead the OAC and feature four players who average at least 12 points.

Senior guard Corey Shontz leads the way with 15.2 points per game and a conference-best 5.8 assists per game. Senior guards Joe Meyer and Michael Hartnett average 13.0 and 12.0 points per game respectively. Senior forward Mark Hester grabs a team-best 6.0 rebounds per game to go with his 11.6 points per game.

Paced by sophomore Jeff Chahine, the Blue Streaks lead the OAC in both three-point field goal percentage (.421) and three-point field goals per game (11.2). Chahine has connected on nine of his 12 attempts on the season. Meyer (15), Hartnett (13), and Shontz (12) have all made at least 12 three-pointers with Meyer and Shontz shooting better than 50-percent from long distance.

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 LIVE STATS of the game available online.

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 3-3 start and is in search of his first OAC win.

Mike Moran (Xavier '73) is 352-200 in his 20th season at John Carroll. Moran's teams have won nine OAC regular season titles, four OAC Tournament titles and made 10 trips to the NCAA Tournament. His 2003-04 team finished third in the nation.

The Series

This is the 73rd meeting between the teams with John Carroll holding a 37-35 lead in the series. John Carroll has won the past four meetings, including all three a year ago. The last Raider victory game on December 9, 2009 at the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex. Jimmy Wood scored a game-high 22 points as the Raiders upset No. 2 John Carroll, 67-62.

Last Meeting

Mount Union rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to take the lead with less than three minutes remaining in an OAC Tournament quarterfinal matchup last season before falling on the road, 75-68.

Jimmy Wood posted his first career double-double with 26 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Dave Pellerite had 13 points and nine rebounds while T.J. Gillespie added 10 points off the bench.

Maurice Haynes led a trio of Blue Streaks in double-figures with 18 points. Corey Shontz scored 17 points and Joe Meyer added 11 points.

Projected Mount Union Starters

• #35 Tom Berlekamp, 6-5, Jr. F – 3.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg,
• #4 Jimmy Wood, 6-6, Sr., F – 18.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 81.5% FT
• #31 Matt Wier, 6-7, Sr., C – 6.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg
• #20 Nate Jacubec, 5-11, Fr., G – 10.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg
• #3 Justen Little, 5-11, Jr., G – 2.3 ppg, 3.3 apg, 2.2 rpg

Projected John Carroll Starters

• #10 Michael Hartnett, 6-2, Sr., G – 12.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg
• #34 Mark Hester, 6-5, Sr., G/F – 11.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg
• #23 Kyle Hubbard, 6-5, Jr., F/C – 8.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg
• #14 Joe Meyer, 5-11, Sr., G – 13.0 ppg
• #15 Corey Shontz, 6-1, Sr., G – 15.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.8 apg

Mount Union Player Notes

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

• Averaging 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

• Averaging 3.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg
• 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

• Averaging 8.8 ppg
• Missed 2 games due to an injury
• 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

• Third on team in scoring (10.0) and first in 3-pointers (13)
• 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

• Secoond on team in scoring (10.5) and second in assists (18)
• 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 5.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, and leads the team in FG% (.789)
• 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

• Leads team with 20 assists on the season
• 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

• Averaging 6.7 ppg and 4.2 rpg
• 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