ALLIANCE, Ohio - Mount Union's mens' basketball team outscored Otterbein by 17 points in the second half to earn an 85-64 win on Saturday in the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex in Alliance.

The Purple Raiders (12-5, 8-2 OAC) were led by sophomore point guard DeAllen Jackson (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) with a game-high 20 points. Junior forward Jarrett Ruffin (Northfield/Nordonia) scored 17 points and senior forward Stevie Griffin (Canton/Massillon Jackson) added 11 points.

Junior forward Evan Keeslar (Uniontown/Green) just missed double figures with a season-high eight points.

Otterbein (3-14, 2-8 OAC) was led by Jake Phillis with 13 points and Bryan Mackenzie with 10 points.

Mount Union scored the first 10 points of the game to take a double digit lead in the first four minutes of the game. That 10 points lead was matched by the Cardinals as they broke off a 26-6 run over the next 10 minutes to take a 26-16 lead with 6:31 left in the half.

The Raiders took the lead back, 30-29 on a Jackson layup with 1:58 remaining before halftime. Ruffin converted a three-point play in the final second of the half and Mount Union led by four points at the half, 35-31.

In the second half Otterbein tied the game at 39-39 before the Raiders went on another run. Mount Union knocked down four consecutive three-pointers, one by Ruffin, one by Cody Dillon (Newton Falls/Newton Falls) and two by Nate Jacubec (Struthers/Struthers), to take a 12 point advantage with 13:58 remaining in the game.

The Cardinals trimmed the lead down to four points, 60-56, before Keeslar orchestrated his own 8-2 run to extend the lead to 10 points with 5:43 to play.

The Purple Raiders scored 15 of the games last 16 points to open the lead to the final margin of 21 points.

The men's basketball team stays in Alliance for their next game against Baldwin Wallace on Wednesday, January 28 at 7:30pm in the MAAC.