Box Score ALLIANCE, Ohio - The Mount Union men's basketball team defeated Ohio Athletic Conference opponent Heidelberg 82-71 on Saturday in the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex in Alliance.
Before the game Mount Union's two seniors, Stevie Griffin (Canton/Massillon Jackson) and Nate Jacubec (Struthers/Struthers), were recognized for their achievements during thier four seasons in the program.
Although it was senior day, junior Jarrett Ruffin (Northfield/Nordonia) led the Purple Raiders (18-5, 14-2 OAC) with 25 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots. Kyle Scelza (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls) got his second start of the season and scored 13 points while Jacubec added 10 points in the win.
Heidelberg (10-13, 6-10 OAC) was led by Kiere' Bennie with 19 points, James Hanley with 14 points and Marcquice Taylor with 11 points.
The Student Princes scored the first two points of the game but did not lead the rest of the game. Ruffin hit a three-pointer eight minutes into the game to give the Raiders an early five point lead, 12-7. The Raiders ripped off a 12-0 run later in the half to expand the lead to 28-12 with 7:35 left in the half.
In the last five minutes of the half Heidelberg went on a 19-5 run to cut an 18 point lead down to four points, 42-38, going into the locker room.
The Raiders opened the second half by scoring the first nine points of the period, seven coming from Ruffin. Heidelberg answered by making three three-pointers in the next four possessions to cut the lead back to four, 53-49, with 15:08 left in the game.
Mount Union opened up the lead when Cody Dillon (Newton Falls/Newton Falls) scored five straight points to increase the lead to 12 points with 7:21 remaining. The Student Princes got within eight points but could get no closer. Scelza seeled the game with a three-pointer from the right wing with 1:13 left in the game to bring the lead to 14 points, 81-67.
In other OAC action, John Carroll defeated No. 3 Marietta by a score of 86-71. This means that Mount Union has pulled even with Marietta for first place in the conference at 14-2.
The men's basketball team will travel to John Carroll on Wednesday for a 7:00 pm start time in University Heights.
Newspaper Box Score
Heidelberg vs Mount Union
2/14/15 3:00 pm at Alliance, Ohio - The MAAC
At Alliance, Ohio - The MAAC
MOUNT UNION 82, HEIDELBERG 71
HEIDELBERG (10-13, 6-10 OAC)
Kiere Bennie 6-13 6-7 19; James Hanley 5-10 0-0 14; Marcquice Taylor 3-10
5-6 11; DeAvery Collins 4-9 0-0 8; Louis Gray 2-4 0-0 6; Doug
Waldmannstetter 2-4 2-4 6; Chris Moxley 0-5 4-4 4; Shane Lee 1-4 0-0 3;
Jackson Blue 0-1 0-0 0; Cole Williams 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-60 17-21 71.
MOUNT UNION (18-5, 14-2 OAC)
1-2 0-0 2. Totals 31-51 12-19 82.
Heidelberg.................... 38 33 - 71
Mount Union................... 42 40 - 82
3-point goals--Heidelberg 8-23 (James Hanley 4-7; Louis Gray 2-3; Kiere
Bennie 1-5; Shane Lee 1-1; Chris Moxley 0-1; DeAvery Collins 0-3; Marcquice
Griffin 0-1;
Nate Jacubec 0-2). Fouled out--Heidelberg-None, Mount
Union-None. Rebounds--Heidelberg 23 (Kiere Bennie 5), Mount Union 38
(
Jarrett Ruffin 9). Assists--Heidelberg 12 (Marcquice Taylor 8), Mount Union
21 (
Kyle Scelza 6). Total fouls--Heidelberg 17, Mount Union 20. Technical
fouls--Heidelberg-None, Mount Union-None. A-427
