ALLIANCE, Ohio – Mount Union's men's basketball team lost an Ohio Athletic Conference matchup 75-71 against Heidelberg on Saturday afternoon.

The Purple Raiders (8-5, 5-1 OAC) had three players score in double figures with junior Corey Hudson (Columbus / Pickerington) leading the way with a team-high 18 points. Fifth-year Christian Parker (Canton / GlenOak) and sophomore Elijah Farrington (Massillon / Massillon Washington) each scored 16 points to round out the Raiders in double digits, with Farrington grabbing 10 rebounds to record his fourth consecutive double-double.

The Student Princes (9-4, 5-1 OAC) were led by Elijah Harden who scored a game-high 30 points and Markell Johnson-Nichols who added in 18 points.

Both teams would go back and forth over the first eleven and a half minutes of game time before Heidelberg would go on an 18-5 run over the next 5:50 of action to take a 10-point, 36-26 lead with 2:43 remaining in the first half. Mount Union wasn't able to get closer than seven over the final two and a half minutes as the Student Princes would take a 39-30 lead into the halftime break.

The Raiders would open the second half with two quick baskets to cut the lead down to four before Heidelberg would answer with a 13-2 run over the next 2:54 of game to take their largest lead of the game at 52-37 with 16:09 remaining in the game. However, Mount Union would answer with an 11-3 run of their own to cut the lead down to seven with just over 13 minutes left to play. The Raiders would slowly continue chipping away at the Heidelberg lead over the next seven and a half minutes to cut it down to 64-63 with just over four and a half minutes remaining in the game. Mount Union wouldn't be able to reclaim the lead however as the Student
Princes would outscore them 11-8 over the final four and a half minutes to take the 75-71 victory.

The Raiders hit the road next when they travel to Berea on Wednesday, January 15 to take OAC opponent Baldwin Wallace at 7 p.m.