UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio - Mount Union's men's basketball was defeated by John Carroll 88-81 Wednesday night in the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center in University Heights.

The Purple Raiders (18-6, 14-3 OAC) were led by Jarrett Ruffin (Northfield/Nordonia) with 23 points. Cody Dillon (Newton Falls/Newton Falls) scored 15 points and Kyle Scelza (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls) scored 11 points in the loss.

John Carroll (18-5, 14-3 OAC) was led by Ryan Farragher with 16 points and David Linane with 14 points. Doug Caputo finished the game with an 11 point, 10 rebound double-double.

In the first half John Carroll jumped out to an early 11-5 lead. The Raiders answered with a 12-6 run to tie the score at 17-17. The score was tied again, 19-19, before the Blue Streak ran off the next eight points to lead 27-19.

The lead grew to as many as 11 points at 38-27 with 6:26 left before halftime. Scelza scored the next five points of the game to cut the lead to six, 38-32. The two teams traded baskets the rest of the half before John Carroll's Hendrickson hit a three-pointer with 0.07 left in the period. Mount Union trailed 46-36 going into the locker room.

In the first seven minutes of the second half neither team could change the deficit and John Carroll maintained a 10 point lead, 60-50 with 14:48 to play. Mount Union went on a 9-3 run to cut the lead to four points but could get no closer the rest of the way.

Mount Union was plagued throughout the game by 20 turnovers and 10 miss free throws

The men's basketball team finishes their regular season on the road against Wilmington at 3:00 pm on Saturday (Feb 21).