ALLIANCE, Ohio --  Mount Union's men's basketball team edged Capital, 97-96, in an Ohio Athletic Conference game on Saturday afternoon.

Mount Union improves to 14-5, 10-2 in the OAC while Capital falls to 10-9, 6-6 in the OAC.

Jake Jacubec (Struthers/Struthers) led the Raiders with 23 points as Mount Union had five players in double figures, including Miles Griffin (Massillon/ Jackson) adding 18 points,  Kyle Scelza (Stow/Stow) scoring 17 points, Jarrett Ruffin (Northfield/Nordonia) with 14 points, and Cody Dillon (Newton Falls/Newton Falls) finishing with 10 points.

Mark Minch led for the Crusaders with a game-high 38 points. Capital had three other players in double figures including Michael Green (30), Austin Schreck (10), and Curt Geise (10).

In the first half, Capital jumped out an early 12-5 lead at 17:24 when Minch hit a three-pointer. Capital led by 10 in the first half, 24-14, off a layup by Schreck with 14:04 remaining in the half. Mount Union then went on an 11-0 run to gain their first lead of the game. The Raiders would continue to produce offensively and jumped out to a 15-point lead off a made three pointer by Ruffin with 01:39 remaining in the half. Mount Union led 58-42 at the half.

The Raiders would sustain their lead in the beginning stages of the second half. Capital began to chip into that lead going on a 25-11 run to tie that game at 69-69 with 11:53. The Crusaders would regain the lead, 72-71, off a three point play by Minch with 10:46 remaining the game. Mount Union would comeback to gain the lead and extend it to as much as seven points, 88-81, when Dillon hit three consecutive free throws at the line.

Capital went a 10-0 run to lead 91-88 with 03:05 left in the game. Clutch free throw shooting from the Raiders would allow them to go on a 9-5 run and seal the victory.

Mount Union is back in action on Wednesday, February 3 when the Raiders travel to Muskingum. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start in New Concord.