Mount Union's men's basketball team will travel to Ohio Northern for a 3 pm tip-off Saturday in the first of 13 consecutive conference games to conclude the season. The Purple Raiders hope changing the calendar to a new year will also change the results on the court after a winless month of December.

The results have been promising so far as the Purple Raiders (4-8, 0-5) split a pair of games at the Louis Fleming Basinger Memorial Tournament in Williamsport, Pa. earlier in the week. After a 77-46 rout of Immaculata (Pa.), the Raiders found Lycoming (Pa.) to be an unkind host. The unbeaten Warriors used their up-tempo style of play to defeat the Raiders, 91-75, in the championship game. Senior forward Jimmy Wood (Wintersville/Indian Creek) received all-tournament team honors after scoring a tournament-record 29 points to go with a career-high 16 rebounds against Immaculata.

Despite being within a possession of tying or taking the lead in the final minute of four of their five Ohio Athletic Conference games, the first conference win has eluded them so far. Trailing by a single point in their last OAC game against Muskingum, the Raiders took possession of the ball with 21 seconds remaining, but were unable to get a shot at the basket, turning the ball over with only seconds remaining.

The Raiders scoring 69.8 points per game on the season while allowing 68.8 points per game. Mount Union has found success from three-point range, ranking second in the OAC in three-point field goal percentage (.355) and three-pointers (8.7 per game) after tying the school record for three-pointers in a game with 13 in each of their last two outings.

The top scorer in the OAC, Wood leads Mount Union with 20.3 points per game while also leading the Raiders in rebounding (6.8), three-point field goal percentage (.461), and making a conference-best 35 three-pointers. Wood had perhaps the most spectacular performance of his collegiate career when he recorded his third career-double-double against Immaculata on Monday. He grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds and his 29 points were three short of tying his career-high. Wood was five-of-seven from three-point distance and also had three assists and three steals.

The Basinger Tournament saw breakout performances by a pair of Raider freshmen, Nate Jacubec (Struthers/Struthers) and Clayton Patton (Bolivar/Tuscarawas Valley). Jacubec matched career-highs with 17 points and five assists against Lycoming. He averaged 15.0 points and made seven three-pointers during the two-game tournament. Patton, who was inserted into the starting lineup three games ago, scored ten points and recorded career-highs in assists (3) and steals (3) against Lycoming.

Mount Union's bench play has been terrific, especially in recent games. The Raiders received 27 points from reserves T.J. Gillespie (Toledo/St. John's), Stevie Griffin (Canton/Massillon Jackson), and Keith Williams (Louisville, Ky./Brown). Gillespie appears more comfortable playing off the ball and scored 14 points against the Warriors, which is the most he has scored since returning from an injury that sidelined him for a pair of games in late November. On the season, he is the team's top free throw shooter (.812) and is fourth in scoring (7.0).

Griffin had a solid overall outing against Lycoming with 10 points, two three-pointers, five rebounds (three offensive), two assists, and a block. He is third on the team in scoring at 7.7 points per game and has now reached double-figures three times. Williams once again found a way to impact the game without being a scorer, finishing with three points, four rebounds, five assists, and two steals against the Warriors.

The contribution of point guard Justen Little (Galion/Galion) probably gets overlooked by the casual observer, but the junior seems to like it that way. Little leads the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.25) and is second in the conference with 3.5 assists per game.

Ohio Northern (7-5, 3-2) suffered a 75-74 setback at Heidelberg Wednesday night and enters the contest having lost three of their last four games. The Polar Bears own impressive conference wins over John Carroll and Marietta. They average 69.3 points per game and are allowing opponents to score 67.5 points per game

Standing at 6-9, senior center Scott Schnelle is the tallest player in the conference. An All-OAC First Team selection a season ago, Schnelle is averaging 12.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game on the season. He scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the loss to Heidelberg. Joining him in the frontcourt is 6-6 sophomore forward Dominique Royal, who scores 8.8 points per game.

Sophomore guards Branden Rushton and Jared Horstman have been the top perimeter players for the Polar Bears. Rushton is the team's second-leading scorer at 12.2 points per game and is shooting a team-best 42.4-percent from behind the three-point line. Horstman contributes 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while leading the team with 31 assists.

LIVE STATS will be available for the game online.

Re-writing the Record Books

Senior Jimmy Wood became the 26th player in school history to score 1,000 career points, reaching the milestone against Wilmington on December 17th. Wood currently ranks 23rd on the school's career scoring list with 1,065 career points and needs 11 points to surpass Harold Young for 22nd place. At his current pace, Wood will end his career as one of the top ten scorers in school history.

While the scoring record is out of reach for Wood, there are a few records that he has a chance to break. The records for most consecutive games played and three-point field goals in a season could fall by season's end.

The Raiders tied a pair of school records at the Basinger Tournament earlier in the week. They made 13 three-pointers in both games, tying the school record set against Baldwin-Wallace during the 1996-97 season. Their 33 three-point field goal attempts Tuesday against Lycoming set the school record set in the season-opener against Hiram.

Raiders Rank Among Nation's Best

Mount Union has a player among the top 100 nationally in four statistical categories this season.

Projected Mount Union Starters

• #22 Clayton Patton, 6-3, Fr., G – 5.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, .444 3FG%
• #4 Jimmy Wood, 6-6, Sr., F – 20.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, .461 3FG %
• #45 Matt Kiger, 6-5, Jr., C – 6.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg
• #20 Nate Jacubec, 5-11, Fr., G – 10.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.2 apg
• #3 Justen Little, 5-11, Jr., G – 1.4 ppg, 3.5 apg, 2.2 rpg

Projected Ohio Northern Starters

• #30 Jared Horstman, 6-3, So., G – 8.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg
• #23 Dominique Royal, 6-6, So., F – 8.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg
• #50 Scott Schnelle, 6-9, Sr., C – 12.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.9 bpg
• #14 Branden Rushton, 5-11, So., G – 12.2 ppg, .424 3FG%
• #10 Tony Meyer, 5-11, Sr., G – 2.3 ppg, 1.6 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 4-8 start and is in search of his first Ohio Athletic Conference win.

John Rhodes (Ohio '88) is in his third season at the helm of the Polar Bear basketball program. Rhodes has led the Polar Bears to 25-27 record overall and a pair of upper-division finishes in the Ohio Athletic Conference. He came to Ohio Northern after one year as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Northeastern University and had 13 years of coaching experience. After completing a four-year playing career at Ohio University in 1988, Rhodes played eight seasons of professional basketball in Europe, including stints in Germany, France, and Iceland.

The Series

This will be the 83rd meeting all-time between Mount Union and Ohio Northern. The Polar Bears hold a decisive 54-28 advantage in the series, but the Raiders have been victorious in three of the past five meetings.

Last Meeting

The opening 20 minutes saw Mount Union shot just 8-of-22 from the field and commit 11 turnovers, resulting in a 40-24 halftime deficit. The Purple Raiders rallied in the second half to get within three points on a Matt Wier layup with 36 seconds remaining. Ohio Northern was able to convert on six straight free throw attempts to come away with a 74-65 win in Ada.

Jimmy Wood scored a game-high 18 points, with 16 coming during the second half rally. Matt Wier scored 13 points off the bench while Dave Pellerite added 11 points.

All five starters scoring in double-digits for the Polar Bears, led by 14 from Scott Schnelle. Joe Staley (13), Branden Rushton (13), Tony Meyer (12), and Taylor Kuhlman (10) rounded out the quintet.

Up Next

Mount Union continues its January tour of the Ohio Athletic Conference in Berea against Baldwin-Wallace on Wednesday at 7:30 pm. The Raiders return home to host Heidelberg next Saturday before three straight road games at Marietta, Otterbein, and John Carroll.

Mount Union Player Notes

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

• Played and started in 7 games this season
• Averaging 2.6 ppg and 5.7 rpg
• Season-high/career -high in points (7), rebounds (14), and assists (4) vs. Grove City (11/18/11)
• Season-high/career -high 5 steals at Geneva (11/19/11)
• Transferred from Lakeland Community College

Jimmy Darnley - So., F, Canton/GlenOak

• Averaging 5.3 mpg in seven games off the bench
• 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 7.0 ppg
• Scored 14 points at Lycoming on Tuesday (1/3/12)
• Has scored in double-figures three times this season
• Missed two games earlier in the season 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 (7.7) and three-pointers (18) in 11 games off the bench
• Has scored in double-figures three times this season
• Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off Tournament MVP
• Season-high/career -high 22 points and 6 three-pointers off the bench at Geneva (11/19/11)
• Season-high/career -high 8 rebounds and 4 assists vs. Westminster (11/22/11)
• Played for Coach Fuline and won 2010 OHSAA Division I state title at Massillon Jackson High School

Nate Jacubec - Fr., G, Struthers/Struthers

• Second on team in scoring (10.6), three-pointers (21) and assists (27)
• Has scored in double-figures seven times this season
• Matched season-high/career -high with 17 points at Lycoming (1/3/12)
• Season-high/career -high 4 three-pointers at Lycoming (1/3/12)
• Season-high/career -high 8 rebounds vs. Wilmington (12/17/11)
• Matched season-high/career -high with 5 assists at Lycoming (1/3/12)

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

• Averaging 6.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg
• Leads the team in field goal percentage (.711)
• Has started the past three games after coming off the bench in the first nine
• Season-high 11 points three times, most recently vs. Muskingum (12/21/11)
• Season-high 6 rebounds at Waynesburg (11/26/11) and vs. Muskingum (12/21/11)
• 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

• Has started the past nine games at point guard
• Leads the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.25)
• Ranks second in the conference in assists (3.5)
• Season-high/career -high 5 points vs. Westminster (11/22/11)
• Season-high/career -high 5 rebounds at Geneva (11/19/11)
• Season-high/career -high 7 assists vs. Otterbein (12/3/11) and vs. Wilmington (12/17/11)

Clayton Patton - Fr., G, Bolivar/Tuscarawas Valley

• Averaging 5.7 ppg
• Scored 10 points at Lycoming on Tuesday, reaching double-figures for the second time this season
• Has started past three game after making first career start vs. Muskingum (12/21/11)
• Season-high/career -high 11 points at Capital (12/10/11)

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

• Averaging 6.2 mpg in eight games off the bench
• Transferred from Hesston College (Kan.)

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

• Averaging 6.0 ppg and 4.1 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 4.0 ppg off the bench
• Leads the team in steals (17)
• Season-high/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 the conference in scoring (20.3)
• Leads the team in rebounding (6.8) and 3-pointers (35)
• Has scored 20+ points six times this season
• Ranks 23rd on school's all-time scoring list with 1,065 career points
• Scored 1,000th career point on three-pointer to go ahead by 2 points with less than a minute remaining in regulation vs. Wilmington (12/17/11)
• Recorded third career double-double with 29 points and career-high 16 rebounds vs. Immaculata (1/22/12)
• Set Louis Fleming Basinger Memorial Tournament scoring record with 29 points against Immaculata (1/22/12) and was named to the all-tournament team
• Season-high/career -high 16 rebounds vs. Immaculata (1/22/12)
• Season-high/career -high 32 points vs. Wilmington (12/17/11)
• Father, Jim, played basketball at Georgia Tech