Box Score MARIETTA, Ohio -- Mount Union's men's basketball team locked up the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season title with an 81-77 victory Wednesday at Marietta.
It is the Purple Raiders first conference title in 17 years (1996-97), 10th title in school history and second-ever 20-win season overall (20-4, 15-2 OAC).
The win also secures Mount Union the No. 1 seed in next week's conference tourney. The Raiders have a double bye to a semifinal game on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7:30 pm at the MAAC in Alliance.
Marietta falls to 18-6 overall and 13-4 in the OAC but with Wilmington's 88-85 overtime loss to Ohio Northern, the Pioneers are the No. 2 seed in the OAC Tournament and also has a double bye to Thursday's semifinals.
The game featured 14 lead changes and seven ties and the final of those lead changes came when Mount Union put together a decisve 13-5 run capped by five straight points from Nate Jacubec (Struthers/Struthers) that gave the Raiders a 70-60 lead with 4:48 to play.
The Pioneers, who led 43-40 at the half, came back with a 13-5 run of their own to close the score to 75-73 in the final minute but Mount Union went 6-of-6 from the line to put the game away.
T.J. Gillespie (Toledo/Toledo St. John's) led Mount Union with 16 points, Jacubec finished with 14 while Jeff Foreman (Mentor/Mentor) and Kyle Scelza (Stow/Stow) came off the bench with 14 and 10 respectively.
Garrett Stephenson had a game-high 17 points as one of four in double figures for Marietta.
Mount Union finishes the regular season Saturday at 3 pm at Wilmington.
Newspaper Box Score
Mount Union vs Marietta
02/19/14 7:30 p.m. at Marietta, Ohio - Ban Johnson Arena
At Marietta, Ohio - Ban Johnson Arena
MOUNT UNION 81, MARIETTA 77
MOUNT UNION (20-4, 15-2 OAC)
0-0 0. Totals 27-68 15-23 81.
MARIETTA (18-6, 13-4 OAC)
Garrett Stephenson 5-9 4-5 17; Luis Garcia 4-13 6-6 16; A.J. Davis 4-10 5-7
14; Andy Dollman 3-8 3-4 10; Keith Richardson 3-4 3-4 9; Eddy Grenert 2-3
2-2 6; Brennan McKean 1-6 0-1 3; A.J. Ireland 0-0 1-2 1; Andy Stegman 0-3
1-4 1; A.J. Edwards 0-0 0-0 0; Travis Tucci 0-0 0-0 0; Tyler Irish 0-0 0-0
0; RaNeal Ewing 0-3 0-2 0. Totals 22-59 25-37 77.
Mount Union................... 40 41 - 81
Marietta...................... 43 34 - 77
Stephenson 3-6; Luis Garcia 2-6; Andy Dollman 1-5; A.J. Davis 1-5; Brennan
McKean 1-6; Keith Richardson 0-1). Fouled out--Mount Union-
Jarrett Ruffin,
Marietta-Luis Garcia. Rebounds--Mount Union 47 (
Nate Jacubec 8), Marietta 42
(Brennan McKean 4). Total fouls--Mount Union 26, Marietta 23. Technical
fouls--Mount Union-None, Marietta-None. A-1473
