TIFFIN, Ohio – Mount Union's men's basketball team defeated Heidelberg 72-61 in an Ohio Athletic Conference matchup on Saturday afternoon.

The Purple Raiders (16-7, 13-3 OAC) had three players score in double figures with fifth-year Christian Parker (Canton / GlenOak) leading the way with a game-high 20 points. Sophomore Elijah Farrington (Massillon / Massillon Washington) scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the double-double and freshman Chance Casenhiser (Uniontown / Lake) added in 14 to round out the Raiders in double digits.

The Student Princes (15-8, 11-5 OAC) were led by Manny Hill who scored a team-high 16 points and Markell Johnson-Nichols who added in 15.

Mount Union would grab an early 12-7 lead over the first four and a half minutes of the game, Heidelberg would answer with a 10-2 run over the next 3:18 of game time to take the lead at 17-14 with 11:11 left to play in the first half. The Raiders would answer with an 11-0 run of their own to reclaim the lead at 25-17 with just under eight minutes remaining in the first half. The Student Princes would go on to outscore Mount Union 12-6 over the remainder of the half to cut the lead down 31-29 heading into the halftime break.

Both teams would trade baskets over the first four minutes of the second half before the Raiders would go on a 13-2 run over 4:36 of game time to push their lead out to 14 with ten and a half minutes remaining in the game. Once again Heidelberg would answer going on a 10-2 run to cut the lead down to 57-51 with 7:28 left to play in the game. Mount Union would once again push the lead back out to double digits over the next three and a half minutes of action, pushing it to 14 points and the Student Princes wouldn't be able to get closer than nine over the final four minutes of game time as Mount Union would go on to win 72-61.

The Raiders return home next when they host Baldwin Wallace in an OAC matchup on Wednesday, February 19 at 7 p.m. in the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex in Alliance.