Zachary Worstell
zdw001@marietta.edu
Imagine you are watching a basketball game that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the tip-off to the final buzzer. This is what it was like for the fans at Ban Johnson Arena Tuesday when the No. 4 seeded Marietta College Pioneers defeated the Otterbein University Cardinals to move on to the semi-finals of the OAC Men’s Basketball Tournament. Nail biting close is how some would describe this very competitive matchup leading to overtime.
Fans had their hands on the top of their head standing watching the Pioneers be down with twenty-four seconds left in regulation when the Cardinals had a 76-74 lead. The lead the Cardinals had would change when Otterbein’s Troy Scowden committed a foul giving Lovenson Xavier a chance to tie the game. Xavier would head to the free throw line to sink both critical free throws pushing the game into overtime. Marietta College would run away with the lead by outscoring Otterbein 16-7 for the win in OT. This lead would come from an 8-point run from Junior Cooper Parrot.
“College basketball is a game of runs,” Marietta head coach Jon VanderWal said regarding the win, “We had a nice lead, but we turned it over on three straight possessions. They scored on all three and gained momentum. But Lovenson hit some huge free throws at the end and Jac (Alexander) made enormous plays all night long. Very proud of him and our team for gutting this one out.”
Marietta improves to 16-10 on the season while Otterbein finished their season with a 14-12 record. Marietta’s next challenge comes Thursday, February 23rd, where they travel to face the No 1 seed John Carroll University, who received a first round bye. The last time these teams faced off this season John Carroll would come out on top, 89-75. Tip-off for the semifinal matchup is set for 7p.m.
