Otterbein College Men's Basketball

Seniors Brian Pollock and Cory Ratai Lead Cards into 2009-10
Written Nov. 17, 2009 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, armed with seven returning lettermen, including three starters, could turn the corner and get back to its winning ways this season.

“In view of the last couple of years, I think we have more size and our attitude and work ethic seems to be better,” said Otterbein head coach Dick Reynolds, who is entering his 38th season at the helm of the Cardinal program.

Although the Cardinals return six players, who started from time-to-time last season, only three returnees—Brian Pollock, Cory Ratai and Brice Rausch—started every varsity game they played in 2008-09.

Pollock, a senior shooting guard, who can also play the point, served as Otterbein’s top scoring threat last season. He averaged 20.1 points a game, which led the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). The second team All-OAC pick also led the OAC in three-pointers made, 73, and minutes played, 36.8 per game.

Ratai, a senior forward, started all 25 games last season. The three-year starter averaged 10.2 points and 7.1 rebounds a game, and led the OAC in offensive rebounding with a 3.4 average.

Rausch, a sophomore guard, started all 25 games as a freshman a year ago. The guard averaged 10.4 points and 4.2 rebounds a game.

Although the Cardinals return the bulk of their offense in Pollock, Ratai, and Rausch, Reynolds knows that no one player can carry his team, and that it will be a total group effort if the team wishes to return to the winning ways of past Otterbein teams.

“No one person is capable of getting us back to the OC of old,” said Reynolds, who was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame last May and the Otterbein Athletic Hall of Fame in October. “It has to be a collective effort, and we hope this year will produce that.”

Junior forward Alan Kavanaugh rounds out the list of returning lettermen, which also includes sophomores Mat Greene, Steve Isaac and Mark Louks.

Kavanaugh, who averaged 4.4 points and 3.2 rebounds, played in all 25 games, starting eight last season. The forward also started eight games as a freshman.

Isaac, a center, and Louks, a point guard, also earned starts as freshmen last season. Isaac averaged 6.6 points and 4.3 rebounds a game over 24 varsity appearances. He started 17 games. Louks, who made seven starts, averaged 3.6 points and 1.8 assists a game. Greene made 20 varsity appearances at the center position last season.

Two newcomers—sophomore center Chris Davis and junior shooting guard Nathan Edick—should help boost Otterbein’s depth at those two positions.

Davis played in 18 games, starting one, at the University of Rio Grande last season. The 6-6, 235-pound center earned special mention All-Ohio honors as a senior in high school.

Edick, who sat out last season, played in all 25 varsity games as a freshman at Marietta during the 2007-08 season. He led NCAA Division III in three-point field-goal percentage at 54.8, making 63 of 115 attempts. Edick averaged 8.5 points a game.

In addition, a group of eight freshmen are expected to join the Cardinals this season.

Reynolds to be Inducted Into Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame
Written May 20, 2009 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – On May 30, Otterbein head men’s basketball coach Dick Reynolds will travel to the Greater Columbus Convention Center where he will be inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.

The most successful coach in the history of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), Reynolds was the first to win conference titles in four different decades and has been selected by his peers as the OAC Coach of the Year nine times.

In 2001-02, the Cardinals won the Division III national championship after being picked to finish sixth in the conference’s preseason poll. That season, the team won both the OAC regular season and tournament titles en route to posting a 30-3 record. With a career record of 623-379 (.622), Reynolds has led the program to 11 regular season titles and eight conference tournament championships during his time in Westerville.

“This accolade is really a tribute to the athletes who have passed through here and demonstrated the ability to compete at the highest level,” said Reynolds. “The award is really Otterbein allowing me to coach here for 37 years. That’s what it’s all about.”

While he was quick to praise the athletes who have played for him, Reynolds also expressed what the award means to him on a personal level.

“It’s nice to be recognized by an organization that realizes the success of the programs that you’ve had,” Reynolds said. “Personally, it is quite an accomplishment to be considered among the other people being taken into the Hall of Fame.”

With coaches at any level always being on the hot seat to produce these days, Reynolds has remained consistent with his approach to coaching the game of basketball. Many coaches do not have the luxury of feeling comfort and security while teaching their philosophies, but Reynolds has without a doubt received the backing necessary for a coach to succeed.

“It depends where you are and the institution you’re at,” explained Reynolds. “I’ve been fortunate that my institution has supported what I’ve tried to do as it relates to directing the kids in the program. You can’t win all the time, and overall we strive to graduate our kids. I’m not easy on my kids, and I’m not easy to play for. I push my players within the framework of what I think this institution, department, and program stands for, and that is to be well-balanced and well-rounded individuals.”

It is that style that has allowed Reynolds to create many memorable seasons here at Otterbein. In addition to the national championship team, the London, Ohio native also shared some of his other memorable groups that he has coached. Mentioned was the 1985-86 team that lost to Nebraska Wesleyan in the Elite Eight, the 1987-88 team that finished 1-26, and the 1988-89 group the following year that turned in a 20-10 record and fell one win shy of reaching the Final Four. The two seasons from 1987 through 1989 marked the biggest turnaround in school history.

“People like to look at just the wins and losses, but the losing seasons are memorable also from the standpoint of the people you had,” said Reynolds.

However, Reynolds has done much more at Otterbein than just patrol the sidelines during games or practices.

“He’s been a great ambassador for both Otterbein College and Division III athletics,” said Bob Gatti, Vice President of Student Affairs at Otterbein. “Certainly he has worked tirelessly with his program, as well as teaching physical education combined with his role as athletic director.”

When the new Clements Center opened in the fall of 2002, every Otterbein coach moved from the Rike Center to Clements. Reynolds, however, decided to stay in the Rike Center, where his office is conveniently located next to a fire escape door. Because of this, it has allowed many of his players to continue the process of coming up late at night and having conversations with Reynolds, who is able to hear them knock on the door.

“A lot of times the conversations go until one or two in the morning,” Gatti explained. “They don’t just talk about basketball, but life as well. He is very demanding and hard on his players, but boy does he care about them.”

Another reason Reynolds decided to keep his office in the Rike is the ability to walk right out into the gym and watch his players working on their game. About twelve years ago, Reynolds walked out into the gym and saw Gatti’s son, who was only 11 or 12 at the time, shooting baskets while waiting for his dad to get done with work for the day. Two days later, Gatti received a typed letter to his son from Reynolds with suggestions on how to improve his shooting.

“That’s the kind of person he is,” Gatti said, “but I don’t think everyone gets to see that side of him.”

After 37 seasons, Reynolds ranks first among OAC coaches on the all-time career victory list with 623. In addition, he has averaged nearly 17 wins per season and is 41 wins shy of legendary UCLA coach John Wooden on the all-divisions list. Under his tutelage, the Cardinals have made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, including trips to the Final Four in 1981, 1991, and 2002.

Notable inductees that will also be a part of Coach Reynolds’ 2009 class include former Ohio State player and current NBA all-star guard Michael Redd, long-time Cleveland Cavaliers radio play-by-play announcer Joe Tait, the Pickerington High School girls basketball program (including the 1999 national championship team), and the 2000-2003 Akron St. Vincent St. Mary’s boys basketball teams, who won three state championships and a national title in their four years. The squad included Cleveland Cavalier superstar and current NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James.

In just under two weeks, Reynolds will be one of 19 inductees welcomed into the Hall of Fame. Having spent the past 37 years, and his entire head coaching career at OC, the nine-time conference coach of the year explained the special place that Otterbein holds in his heart.

“Otterbein hasn’t been a place to work, it’s been a lifestyle,” said Reynolds. “My family has been involved, and Otterbein is an institution where you are able to take part in a lot of different activities. It’s a community where I have been able to teach and coach basketball, and it’s always been a privilege to be able to do that.”

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein junior guard Brian Pollock (London/London H.S.) has been selected to the All-Ohio Athletic Conference second team, announced Tuesday morning by the conference office.

Pollock averaged 20.1 points per game this season to lead both the Cardinals and the OAC in scoring. In addition, his scoring average placed him 37^th in the nation. Pollock also led the league in minutes played (36.8/game) and three-point field goals (73 total, 3.17/game). He also sat fourth in steals with 1.43 per contest.

The London native finished second on the team this season in rebounding (5.3 rpg) and assists (2.0 apg). Having started all 23 that he was active for this season, Pollock shot .427 (158 of 370) from the field and .395 (73 of 185) from behind the arc. He currently stands at 937 career points and will look to surpass the 1,000 point plateau next season during his senior campaign.

Pollock led Otterbein in scoring during 17 of the team’s 25 games this season, and scored in double-figures in all but two outings.

Joining Pollock on the All-OAC second team are Andrew Bene (Baldwin-Walllace), Tyler Felt (Muskingum), Maurice Haynes (John Carroll), Brandon Rogers (Wilmington), and Chris Switzer (Mount Union).

Capital guard Nate Stahl was selected as the Gregory Award winner, recognizing the conference’s most outstanding player, while John Carroll’s Mike Moran was voted as the OAC Coach of the Year.

Cards Upset Bid Falls Short With Overtime Loss at Capital
Written Feb. 21, 2009 by Adam Prescott

BEXLEY, OHIO – Otterbein (5-20, 3-15 OAC) led for nearly the entire second half, but was not able to hang on as #11 Capital (22-3, 15-3 OAC) eventually evened the game and escaped with an 83-78 overtime victory at the Capital Center.

The Crusaders, who overcame a 17 point deficit earlier in the week to beat Heidelberg, found a way to come from behind in the cross-town rivalry matchup and earn their 15^th conference win of the season.

Capital hopped out to an early 13-8 lead when Jake Fanning finished a fast break layup at the 13:17 mark.

Otterbein then took their first lead of the game when sophomore forward Alan Kavanaugh made a layup after corralling an offensive rebound with 10:55 left to play in the opening frame.

After the lead changed hands four times over the next four minutes, the Cards took the largest lead of the first half when freshman guard Brice Rausch sank a jumper from inside the paint to cap an 11-2 Otterbein run and give the team a 38-29 advantage with 2:13 remaining in the opening frame.

The Crusaders responded with seven quick points over the next 74 seconds before Rausch connected on a free-throw that would give Otterbein a slim 39-36 lead heading into the half.

The Tan and Cardinal extended their lead to 47-40 in the opening minutes of the second stanza when Kavanaugh connected on a three-pointer.

After a Nate Stahl layup brought the Crusaders within two, Otterbein scored the next eight points and took the largest lead of the game, at 55-45, when Kavanaugh buried yet another shot from behind the arc, this time with 13:02 showing on the game clock.

Capital then embarked on a 17-6 run over the next eight and a half minutes and eventually took a 62-61 lead when Quintin Mitchell grabbed an offensive rebound and made a layup with 4:32 left to play in the game. The bucket gave the Purple and White their first lead since holding a 28-27 advantage at the 4:36 mark of the first half.

The next three minutes saw four lead changes and two ties before the host Crusaders found themselves holding a 68-66 lead with 1:37 remaining after another Stahl layup.

Otterbein junior guard Brian Pollock, who leads the Ohio Athletic Conference in three-point field goals, then nailed a triple to give the Cards a 69-68 edge with just 1:19 remaining.

After a missed jumper by Capital, junior forward Cory Ratai grabbed an offensive board and laid the ball in to give Otterbein a 71-68 lead with 33 seconds remaining. Ratai entered the game leading the league with 81 offensive rebounds on the season.

With the clock winding down under 20 seconds, Fanning hauled in an offensive board for Capital and made a layup after drawing a foul. The 5’10” point guard then made the ensuing free-throw to convert the old-fashioned three point play and even the game at 71 with just seconds to play.

The game would then head to overtime after Pollock was unable to connect on a long three-point attempt at the buzzer.

The Crusaders grabbed an early lead in the extra session, but Pollock then sank a pair of free-throws to give the visiting Cardinals an 78-77 lead with 2:36 remaining.

Ben McGrath then nailed a triple on the ensuing Capital possession to give the hosts an 80-78 lead as the game clock ticked under two minutes.

Trailing by three after a Capital free-throw at the 1:37 mark, Otterbein was unable to find a way to score in the last two minutes as Capital added two more free-throws in the final minute of play to earn a hard fought 83-78 victory.

The Cardinals had five players score in double figures with sophomore wing Ian Gardner leading the way with a game-high 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Pollock, the OAC’s leading scorer at 20.3 ppg, scored 17 points (including five three-pointers) despite spending a good portion of the game in foul trouble. Rausch (16), Ratai (11), and Kavanaugh (10) rounded out the Otterbein players scoring in double digits. Ratai, who played all 40 minutes, also finished with a game-high nine rebounds.

Fanning tallied 19 points to lead the Crusaders while Stahl and Ryan Wood scored 17 each.

Otterbein shot .481 from the field compared to .519 for Capital. The Cards shot .480 (12 of 25) from three-point range while the Purple and White only managed to make .389 (7 of 18) of their attempts from beyond the arc.

Otterbein made 14 of 18 free-throws but Capital was able to get to the line 36 times. However, the hosts only managed to convert .611 (22 of 36) of their opportunities at the charity stripe.

Otterbein held a 39-26 edge on the glass but committed 28 turnovers to Capital’s 13. The Crusaders scored 37 of their points off Cardinal turnovers.

Capital will be the #2 seed in the upcoming OAC Tournament after league leading John Carroll defeated Wilmington 75-72 to earn the OAC regular season title.

Otterbein concludes their season with the contest after the team was eliminated from postseason contention earlier in the week.

Otterbein to Battle Rival Capital in Season Finale
Written Feb. 18, 2009 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein (5-19, 3-14 OAC) travels to play cross-town rival Capital (21-3, 14-3 OAC) Saturday, 2 p.m., in the first game of a men’s and women’s double-header inside the Capital Center in Bexley.

Otterbein currently shares ninth place in the Ohio Athletic Conference with Baldwin-Wallace while the Crusaders sit one game behind league leading John Carroll.

The Cards enter the game after falling 87-77 to Wilmington Wednesday inside the Rike Center. Freshman guard Brice Rausch scored a career-high 21 points and added a game-best nine rebounds. Juniors Cory Ratai and Brian Pollock scored 20 and 17 points, respectively. With the loss, Otterbein was eliminated from postseason contention.

Pollock (20.3 ppg) leads the OAC in scoring, minutes played (37/game), and three-point field goals made (68 total, 3.09/game). He is tied for fourth in the league in steals (1.5/game) and sits in the top 35 in the nation in scoring. In addition, he is the team’s second-leading rebounder, hauling in 5.4 boards per outing.

Ratai is the team’s second-leading scorer at 10.2 ppg, and sits fourth in the conference in rebounding (7.0/game). He is shooting .562 from the field and is one of two Cardinals that has started all 24 games this season.

Rausch, the other Cardinal who has appeared in the starting lineup all 24 times, and sophomore wing Ian Gardner are combining to contribute 19.8 ppg to an Otterbein offense that is scoring 70 ppg. Rausch plays the second-most minutes on the team (28.2/game) while Gardner is seventh in the OAC with a .424 three-point percentage this season. In addition, he has made 29-of-31 free throws this season.

Capital, ranked 11th in the country by D3hoops.com, enters the game fresh off a 79-76 come-from-behind victory at Heidelberg Wednesday evening. The Crusaders, who trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half, used 21 second half points from senior Quintin Mitchell to earn the victory. Mitchell totaled a career-high 31 points in the win while Casey Brown scored 12.

Senior guard Ryan Wood leads the Capital offense and ranks tenth in the OAC by scoring 14.7 ppg. Wood sits seventh in the league in free-throw percentage (.812) and fourth in three-pointer percentage (.458).

Senior guard Nate Stahl, a National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and D-III News preseason All-American, sits second on the club in scoring (14.1 ppg). Capital’s first All-America selection since 1988, Stahl leads the team in steals (25), minutes played (31.9/game), and is shooting .494 (124 of 251) from the field.

Mitchell and fellow senior Casey Brown combine to score 20.7 ppg for a Capital offense that sits second in the league in scoring at 79.6 ppg. Brown ranks second in the OAC in rebounding (8.3 rpg) while Mitchell sits tenth in rebounding (5.8 rpg) and fifth in field-goal percentage (.570).

Earlier this season, Capital earned a 79-60 victory over Otterbein at the Rike Center as Wood matched a career-high with 32 points on 11-of-17 shooting. Casey Brown tallied a double-double with 12 points and a game-best 14 caroms. The Cardinals were led by Pollock, who scored all 18 of his points in the first half of play. Ratai also recorded a double-double in the contest with 16 points and ten rebounds.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein (5-19, 3-14 OAC) suffered an 87-77 defeat to Wilmington (16-8, 12-5 OAC) Wednesday evening at the Rike Center.

The Cards grabbed an early 15-10 lead six minutes into the game behind the hot shooting of freshman guard Brice Rausch, who scored 11 of the team's first 15 points.

Otterbein then extended the lead 25-16 when sophomore wing Ian Gardner nailed his second three-pointer with 9:33 remaining before the break.

The Quakers responded with a 10-0 run and took their first lead of the contest, at 26-25, when Kevin Colson buried a triple from the right corner with 6:18 showing on the first half clock.

Both teams played near even the remainder of the half before Wilmington's Justin Gaines banked in a half-court shot to beat the buzzer at the end of the opening frame to give his team a 44-40 edge going into intermission. The shot marked Gaines' fourth three-pointer of the half.

Rausch led all scorers in the first stanza with 14 points while Gaines shot 4-of-4 from behind the arc to tally 12 first half points for the Quakers.

Otterbein shot a scorching .560 from the field in the half while Wilmington was not far behind, shooting .500.

Leading 51-49, Wilmington went on an 11-1 run capped by a layup from Brandon Rogers to take a 62-50 lead with 10:30 left to play.

Otterbein battled back and cut the lead to 64-58 when junior forward Cory Ratai converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 8:43 showing on the game clock.

However, a Tyler Ledford three-pointer with five minutes remaining in the contest gave the Quakers their largest lead of the game at 78-64. Otterbein was never able to get within six points the rest of the way as Wilmington earned an 87-77 victory.

Rausch paced the Cardinals with a career-high 21 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds while Ratai scored 20, 16 of which came in the second half. Junior guard Brian Pollock added 17 points.

Ledford led all scorers with 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting, including a perfect 5-of-5 performance from three-point range. Gaines, who was not in the starting lineup for the first time this season, scored 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting.

Otterbein shot .510 from the field while Wilmington converted .588 of their field-goal opportunities. The Quakers shot .680 from the field in the second stanza.

Otterbein committed 18 turnovers while the Quakers only gave the ball away ten times.

The Cards, who were eliminated from postseason contention with the loss, conclude their season Saturday when the travel to play cross-town rival Capital in the first game of a men’s and women’s double-header. Tip-off from the Capital Center is scheduled for 2 p.m.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein (5-18, 3-13 OAC) hosts Wilmington (15-8, 11-5 OAC) Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., inside the Rike Center.

Otterbein and Baldwin-Wallace currently share ninth place in the Ohio Athletic Conference while the Quakers sit in a tie with Ohio Northern for third place.

The Cards enter the game after falling 88-75 to Heidelberg this past Saturday in the Rike Center. Junior guard Brian Pollock tied for a game-high 21 points while sophomore wing Ian Gardner scored a career-high 19 in the loss.

Pollock, the reigning OAC Player of the Week, leads the conference and ranks in the top 30 nationally in scoring with 20.4 ppg. In addition, he leads the league in minutes (37/game), three-point field foals made (64) and ranks third in steals (1.4/game). Pollock ranks second on the team with 5.4 rpg and is shooting .430 (147-of-342) from the field.

Gardner, junior forward Cory Ratai, and freshman guard Brice Rausch all average between 9.65 and 9.85 points per outing while Ratai sits fourth in the conference with seven rebounds per contest.

Wilmington heads to Westerville after escaping from Alliance with a 98-94 overtime victory over Mount Union on Saturday. The Quakers, who trailed by nine points with under eight minutes to play in the contest, were led by 18 points from Kevin Colson.

Brandon Rogers (15.0 ppg) leads the team and ranks eighth in the league in scoring in addition to sitting eighth in rebounding (6.3/game). He is shooting .473 (121 of 256) from the floor this season and leads the team with 44 blocks.

Justin Gaines (14.6 ppg) and R.J. Brown (10.7 ppg) ranks second and third on the team in scoring. Gaines is second on the team in assists (2.52) while Brown leads the club with 40 steals.

Point guard Tyler Ledford (10.2 ppg) is the fourth Quaker who averages in double figures, and is one of three players that has started all 23 games this season for the team. He leads the OAC in assists (4.0/game) and ranks fourth in field-goal percentage (.562).

Earlier this season, the Quakers picked up a 71-62 victory over the Cards in Wilmington behind 16 points from Gaines. Rogers did not play in the contest due to an injury. Gardner led all scorers with 18 points in the meeting while Rausch tallied 11. Pollock, who has only been held in single-digits in scoring twice this season, managed just three points on 1-of-8 shooting in the game.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein junior guard Brian Pollock (London/London H.S.) has been named the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Player of the Week in men’s basketball for the second time this season, announced the conference office Monday. Pollock also earned the honor back in the first week of December.

This past Wednesday, Pollock scored a career-high 32 points on 9-of-14 shooting in a 78-72 win at Baldwin-Wallace. He connected on 5-of-7 from three-point range and went 9-of-13 from the free-throw line. In addition, Pollock collected nine rebounds and recorded a game-high four steals in the victory.

Saturday evening, Pollock tied for a game-best 21 points in an 88-75 loss to Heidelberg. He had a team-high two blocks and tied for a team-best three assists.

Already the conference leader in scoring (20.4 ppg) and minutes played (37/game), Pollock played all but three minutes of action on the week and shot .548 from the field. He currently sits in the top 30 in the nation in scoring.

Pollock and the Cardinals return to action Wednesday evening when they host Wilmington. Tip-off from the Rike Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Cards Win Streak Ends With Loss to Heidelberg
Written Feb. 14, 2009 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein’s bid to make the eight-team Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament was dealt a setback Saturday evening in the Rike Center as the Cardinals dropped an 88-75 decision to Heidelberg.

The Cardinals, 5-18 overall, fell to 3-13 in league play and share ninth place with Baldwin-Wallace (7-16, 3-13), two games out of seventh place. Heidelberg, improving to 8-15 overall, moved into a share of seventh with Mount Union, each 5-11 in the OAC.

Heidelberg shot 59.4 percent from the field in the first half on its way to a 23-point lead, 51-28, at intermission. The Berg hit 8 of 14 three-point attempts in the half and was led by junior guard Jim Smalley, who scored 17 on 7-of-9 shooting.

Otterbein, entering the game on a two-game winning streak, heated up in the second half, shooting a blistering 66.7 percent from the field, but could not overcome its halftime deficit. Sophomore forward Ian Gardner scored 13 of his 19 points in the second period.

Smally, one of five Heidelberg players in double figures, scored 21 points to lead his team. Junior guard Josh Calvar chipped in 15 points and six assists.

Junior guard Brian Pollock, who leads the OAC in scoring, scored 21 points for Otterbein. Gardner, who finished with 19 points, made 8 of 12 shots from the field.

Heidelberg finished the game shooting 55.2 percent from the field, including 11 of 19 from three-point range. The Cardinals shot 54.7 percent and made 8 of 18 three-point attempts.

Regular-season play concludes this week. Otterbein hosts Wilmington, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, and then travels to cross-town rival Capital Saturday for a 2 p.m. tip-off.

Otterbein to Host Heidelberg, Looking For Third Straight Victory
Written Feb. 12, 2009 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein (5-17, 3-12 OAC) plays host to Heidelberg (7-15, 4-11 OAC) tonight in the Rike Center.

The Cardinals currently sit in a tie for ninth in the Ohio Athletic Conference while the Student Princes hold down the eighth spot.

Otterbein won their second game in a row Wednesday evening by defeating Baldwin Wallace 78-72 in Berea. Junior guard Brian Pollock, who sits atop the OAC scoring list at 20.4 ppg, dropped a career-high 32 points on 9-of-14 shooting to go along with a game-best four steals. Junior forward Cory Ratai recorded his fifth double-double of the year with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Pollock leads the league in both minutes played (36.9/game) and made three-pointers (62). He also sits third in the conference with 1.6 steals/game.

In addition to ranking second on the team in scoring, Ratai sits fourth in the conference in rebounding (7.0/game) and sixth in field-goal percentage (.549).

Freshman Brice Rausch and Steve Isaac, who both added 12 points in the win Wednesday at B-W, are combining to contribute 17.2 ppg for the Cards. Isaac is shooting .560 (61 of 109) from the field while Rausch is just one of two Cardinals that has started all 22 games this season.

Heidelberg travels to Westerville after falling to #18 John Carroll by a score of 105-84 Wednesday evening in Tiffin. Travis Kinn led the Student Princes with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting in the game.

Kinn, who is the OAC’s sixth leading scorer at 16.5 ppg, also ranks second in the league in rebounding (8.4/game) fourth in free-throw percentage (.839), seventh in field-goal percentage (.537) and ninth in minutes played (31.5/game). He also leads the team with 15 blocked shots.

Jake Hessey (11.9 ppg), Jim Smalley (11.7 ppg), and Josh Calver (11.4 ppg) all score in double-figures as members of the Heidelberg starting lineup. Calver averages a team-best 3.3 assists per outing while all three players, none of which shoot worse than 79% from the charity stripe, accompany Kinn in the top-ten in the OAC in free-throw shooting.

Otterbein (77.7 ppg), and Heidelberg (80.0 ppg) rank ninth and tenth in the conference respectively in scoring defense.

Earlier this season, Heidelberg picked up a 72-62 victory over the Cards as Kinn recorded a double-double with 22 points and ten caroms. Pollock and Ratai each scored 17 points for Otterbein in the losing effort. Heidelberg (29 of 38) outscored Otterbein (14 of 18) by 15 points at the free-throw line in the contest.

Cards Grab Road Victory at Baldwin Wallace
Written Feb. 11, 2009 by Adam Prescott

BEREA, OHIO – Junior Brian Pollock scored a career-high 32 points as the Otterbein men’s basketball team defeated Baldwin-Wallace, 78-72, Wednesday evening in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium.

With the win, Otterbein improves to 5-17 overall and 3-12 in the OAC while B-W falls to 7-15 overall and 3-12 in the OAC

The first half saw eight lead changes in the first 7:23 of play. The Yellow Jackets led 17-16 at 13:03 when Andrew Bene scored on a layup, but Otterbein moved ahead with a 6-2 run and eventually built their advantage to 29-23 with 3:56 left before the break.

The Yellow Jackets rallied with a 7-0 run that ended on a layup from Promis Cabbil at 2:20 to make the score 30-29. However, Otterbein came right back with seven quick points to go ahead 36-30. Each side hit a three-pointer over the final 34 seconds to make the score 39-33 at the break.

In the second half, B-W tied the score at 43 apiece on a Louis Tumblin layup at 15:08 and went ahead on a Bene layup at 14:26. Otterbein quickly tied the score with two Ian Gardner free throws before the game saw six more lead changes over the next 5:10. The Cardinals led by four, at 60-56, following two Pollock free throws before the Jackets tied the score on three separate occasions, including 68-68 with 2:44 left to play.

Otterbein was able to regain momentum and ended the game on a 10-4 run that included seven Cardinal free throws.

In addition to Pollock, Brice Rausch, Cory Ratai, and Steve Isaac all tallied 12 points each. Ratai also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to record his fifth double-double of the season.

Bene led the Yellow Jackets with 25 points and ten rebounds while Tumblin scored a season-high 23.

Otterbein next returns home to host Heidelberg Saturday evening. Tip-off from the Rike Center is set for 7:30 p.m.

Otterbein Snaps Nine Game Skid With Victory Over Mount Union
Written Feb. 7, 2009 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein (4-17, 2-12 OAC) snapped their nine game losing streak by defeating Mount Union (11-9, 5-9 OAC) by a score of 80-73 Saturday evening in the Rike Center.

The Cards opened the game by building a 20-8 lead behind the hot shooting of junior guard Brian Pollock, who scored ten of the team’s first 16 points en route to building the 12 point advantage at the 13:04 mark.

Mount Union battled back and cut the Otterbein deficit to four, at 26-22, when Jimmy Wood made a layup with 7:18 remaining before the break.

A buzzer beating layup from Cardinal freshman Steve Isaac at the end of the opening frame allowed the hosts to take a 38-31 lead into halftime.

Pollock, the OAC’s leading scorer at 19.6 ppg, led the Cardinal offense by tallying 20 first half points.

Otterbein pushed their lead to 52-38 with 15:01 left to play in the game when freshman point guard Mark Louks converted an old-fashioned three-point play.

After seeing Otterbein extend their lead to as many as 16, the Raiders attempted one final push down the stretch, but were never able to get closer than six points as Otterbein snapped their nine game losing streak with an 80-73 victory.

Pollock led all scorers with 24 points while junior forward Cory Ratai added 19.

Dave Pellerite dropped a team-high 21 points to pace the Purple Raiders while Chris Switzer, who sits second in the league behind Pollock with 18.5 ppg, scored 20 (17 of which came in the second half).

Otterbein shot a blistering .569 from the floor compared to .473 for the visiting Raiders. Both teams committed 12 turnovers while the Cards held a slim 31-29 edge on the glass.

The Tan and Cardinal next hit the road to battle Baldwin Wallace on Wednesday. Tip-off from Berea is slated for 7:30 p.m.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein (3-17, 1-12 OAC) prepares to host Mount Union (11-9, 5-8 OAC) Saturday, 7:30 p.m.) in the Rike Center.

Otterbein currently sits tenth in the Ohio Athletic Conference standings while the Purple Raiders are in a tie for sixth place with Marietta.

The Cardinals enter the contest after falling 71-63 at Ohio Northern this past Wednesday. Junior guard Brian Pollock, the OAC’s leading scorer at 19.6 ppg, led all scorers with 18 points while freshman guard Brice Rausch dropped 16.

Pollock leads the team in steals (25) and ranks second in both assists and rebounds (5.4/game). He is making a league-leading three three-point field goals per game and plays more minutes (36.7/game) than any other player in the conference.

After Pollock and Rausch (9.7 ppg), junior forward Cory Ratai ranks third on the team in scoring with 9.3 points per outing in addition to sitting fourth in the conference with seven rebounds/game. Ratai ranks ninth in the league with a .524 field-goal percentage and has grabbed just six less offensive rebounds (67) this season than defensive boards (73).

Mount Union travels to Westerville after falling 96-72 to 24^th ranked John Carroll Wednesday evening in Alliance. Senior guard Chris Switzer, who sits right behind Pollock in second place on the OAC scoring list at 18.5 ppg, paced the Raiders with 20 points in the loss. Sophomore forward Dave Pellerite notched a double-double with 16 points and ten rebounds in addition to five assists.

Switzer sits eighth in the league in three-point percentage (.417), and ranks second in the conference with 2.75 three-pointers per game.

Pellerite (14.9 ppg) is the Raiders’ second leading scorer and sits sixth in the OAC with 6.5 rebounds per outing. He ranks sixth in the league with 2.65 assists/game and is shooting .490 from the floor.

Senior forward Jay Mathis leads the league in field-goal percentage (.619) while senior guard Luke Conley is the conference’s top free-throw shooter (.854).

Earlier this season, Mount Union picked up an 80-58 victory over the Cards in Alliance. Mathis and Pellerite paced the Raiders with 19 and 17 points respectively while sophomore wing Ian Gardner led the Otterbein attack with 13 points. Pollock, who was serving a one-game suspension for a violation of team rules, did not make the trip to Alliance for the contest.

ADA, OHIO – Otterbein (3-17, 1-12 OAC) fell 71-63 at Ohio Northern (15-5, 10-3 OAC) Wednesday evening inside the ONU Sports Center.

The Polar Bears took an early 10-9 lead on a triple from Sam Bastian at the 15:24 mark.

Otterbein then went on a quick 8-0 run to take a 17-10 lead with 12:30 remaining in the opening frame when freshman guard Brice Rausch sank a three-pointer.

After seeing ONU vault back and take a 21-19 lead, the Cards then used three three-pointers in a row to take a 30-29 lead with four minutes remaining before the half.

Ohio Northern would score seven of the game’s next nine points in the remaining four minutes to take a 36-32 edge into intermission.

The Polar Bears held a six point lead throughout the opening minutes of the second half before the Cards grabbed a 50-49 advantage when Rausch connected on another trifecta with 12:11 remaining.

A free-throw from Ohio Northern’s Jake Canaan then tied the game at 54-54 with 8:24 to play in the contest.

From that moment on, the Polar Bears went on a 9-1 run to take a 63-55 lead with 2:42 to go in the second stanza.

Otterbein was not able to draw any closer as the Polar Bears extended their lead and earned a hard fought 71-63 victory.

Junior guard Brian Pollock led all scorers with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting while Rausch marked the only other Cardinal in double figures with 16 points in addition to a game-high eight rebounds.

Otterbein next returns home to host Mount Union this Saturday in the Rike Center. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Cardinals Come Up Short Against Muskingum
Written Jan. 31, 2009 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein (3-16, 1-11 OAC) lost 69-59 to Muskingum (9-10, 6-6 OAC) Saturday evening in the Rike Center.

The Muskies grabbed an early 10-7 lead on an Andrew Chonko layup with 14:03 showing on the first half clock.

Otterbein then used a 15-6 run capped by a three-pointer from junior guard Brian Pollock to take a 23-15 lead with 5:51 remaining before the half.

The Cards maintained at least a two-possession lead for the rest of the opening frame and took a 27-22 lead into intermission.

Muskingum continued to fight and eventually tied the game (37-37) when Zach Olson buried a three-pointer at the 12:41 mark. The Muskies then went on an 11-1 run capped by a Tyler Felt free-throw to take a 48-38 lead with 8:21 left to play.

Otterbein chipped away at the lead and brought the game to within two when junior forward Cory Ratai nailed his second of two three-pointers at the 5:20 mark, making the score 52-50.

However, Muskingum then proceeded to go on a 12-0 scoring spurt capped by two free-throws from Byrne to take a 62-50 lead with 2:36 remaining.

The Cards were unable to gain any serious momentum down the stretch as Muskingum earned a 69-59 victory.

Pollock, the OAC’s leading scorer, led all players with 26 points in addition to eight rebounds. Ratai finished with 10 points and seven rebounds while sophomore wing Ian Gardner scored 9.

Felt paced Muskingum with 21 points and a game-high 11 boards while Byrne tallied 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting and an 8-of-12 performance at the free-throw line.

Otterbein shot .370 from the field while the Muskies converted .460 of the field-goal attempts. The Cards shot .500 (12 of 24) from beyond the arc while Muskingum made just 4-of-16 three-pointers.

The Cards return to action on Wednesday when they travel to play Ohio Northern. Tip-off from Ada is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO - Otterbein (3-15, 1-10 OAC) looks to snap a seven game losing streak as they host Muskingum (8-10, 5-6 OAC) Saturday, 7:30 p.m., in the Rike Center.

The Cardinals enter the contest after falling 84-76 at Marietta Thursday evening. Junior guard Brian Pollock, the OAC's leading scorer at 19.3 ppg, dropped 25 points to lead all scorers.

In addition to his scoring, Pollock leads the team in steals (24) and is second on the team in rebounding (5.4/game). He is tied for second on the team in assists and is playing more minutes per game (37) than any other player in the conference.

Junior forward Cory Ratai averages 9.7 ppg and ranks fourth in the OAC with 7.2 rebounds per outing.

A trio of newcomers in sophomore transfer Ian Gardner and freshman Steve Isaac and Brice Rausch is combining to contribute 26.9 ppg.

Otterbein is the fourth-best rebounding team in the league, hauling in 34 boards per contest.

Muskingum travels to Westerville fresh off a 75-61 defeat at the hands of John Carroll Thursday evening. Sophomore guard Trevor Scott, the OAC's second-leading scorer at 18.3 ppg, led the Muskies attack with 17 points in the loss.

In addition to Scott, senior forwards Tyler Felt (12.3 ppg) and Pat Byrne (10.5 ppg) rank second and third on the team in scoring. Felt is fifth in the league with 6.8 rpg while Byrne ranks ninth in assists (2.6/game). Junior forward Cory Bourquin leads the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.515).

As a team, Muskingum ranks second in the conference in scoring defense (69 ppg) and is the league's best free-throw shooting team at .749.

Earlier this season, the Muskies earned an 84-77 victory over the Cards behind a game-high 29 points from Scott. Pollock tallied 22 for Otterbein in the losing effort.

Cold Streak Continues as Cards Fall to Marietta
Written Jan. 29, 2009 by Adam Prescott

MARIETTA, OHIO – Otterbein (3-15, 1-10 OAC) falls to Marietta (10-8, 5-6 OAC) by a score of 84-76 Thursday evening at the Ban Johnson Arena.

The Pioneers jumped out a 15-8 lead when Daun Lutes made a layup at the 13:00 mark of the opening frame.

Marietta then extended their lead to 15, at 32-17, when Kevin Knab connected on two free-throws with 5:58 left to play before the break.

Otterbein then battled back by going on a 21-6 run over the next 5+ minutes to even the game (38-38) at intermission. The last basket of the Cardinal spurt belonged to freshman guard Mark Louks, who nailed a jumper with just 45 seconds remaining before the end of the half.

Marietta then jumped back out in front, at 57-49, when Zane Carter converted a layup with 10:33 remaining in the contest.

The Cards then cut the deficit to three when junior guard Kyle Molz sank a three-pointer with a little over eight minutes remaining, making the score 61-58.

However, the Pioneers pushed their lead back to as many as 12 down the stretch before holding on for an 84-76 victory.

Junior guard Brian Pollock led all scorers with 25 points while freshman center Steve Isaac scored 16.

Otterbein shot .403 from the field compared to Marietta’s blistering .632. The Cards held a 35-25 advantage on the glass.

Otterbein next returns home to Westerville to host Muskingum on Saturday. Tip-off from the Rike Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OHIO – Otterbein (3-14, 1-9 OAC) falls to John Carroll (12-4, 8-2 OAC) by a score of 101-65 Saturday afternoon at the DeCarlo Center.

The Cards hung close early, cutting the lead to 15-11 at the 12:21 mark of the opening half when sophomore wing Ian Gardner buried a three-pointer.

However, the Streaks would respond by going on a 22-6 run over the next eight minutes to take a 37-17 lead with just over four minutes left in the opening frame.

Otterbein was never able to make a serious push to get back into the contest in the second half as the Blue Streaks extended their lead and earned a 101-65 victory.

Junior guard Brian Pollock led the Cardinal attack with a game-high 15 points while freshman center Steve Isaac tallied 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

The Cards shot just .226 from the field compared to .485 for the host Blue Streaks. Otterbein committed 28 turnovers while JCU turned the ball over just 12 times.

The Cards next travel to play Marietta on Wednesday. Tip-off from the Ban Johnson Arena is set for 7:30 p.m.

Capital Pulls Away From Otterbein, Grabs Top Spot in OAC
Written Jan. 17, 2009 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein (3-13, 1-8 OAC) fell to #8 Capital (14-1, 7-1 OAC) by a score of 79-60 Saturday evening in the Rike Center.

Otterbein took a quick 6-2 lead behind three baskets from junior forwasrd Cory Ratai in the first two and a half minutes of the contest.

Capital, ranked eighth in the country by D3hoops.com, responded and took an 18-11 lead when leading scorer Ryan Wood nailed a three-pointer with 12:35 showing on the first half clock.

However, Otterbein countered with an 11-1 run to take a 22-19 advantage when junior guard Brian Pollock buried a triple with 6:23 left to play before the break.

The Crusaders responded yet again in what was a back and forth first half when they took a 30-24 lead on a tip-in from senior preseason All-American Nate Stahl at the 3:07 mark.

Wood, who averages a team-best 15.6 ppg, tallied 20 points in the opening frame while Pollock (18 points) and Ratai (6 points) combined to score 24 of the 29 first half points for the Cards.

Capital began the second half on an 11-2 run capped by a Wood three-pointer form the left wing with 16:08 remaining in the ball game.

The Crusaders pushed their lead to as many as 25 before Otterbein battled back and chipped the deficit down to 14, at 67-53, when junior guard Kyle Molz sank a deep three from the right wing with 3:21 remaining.

However, that is as close as the Cardinals would get as Capital earned a 79-60 victory.

With the victory, the Crusaders take over first place in the OAC standings after Wilmington (who is the only team to beat Capital this season), suffered a 92-66 setback against John Carroll earlier this afternoon.

Pollock, who was held scoreless in the second half, led the Cards with 18 points on just 6-of-18 shootng while Ratai recorded a double-double with 16 points and ten rebounds. Sophomore point guard Dan Kessler scored a career-high 13 points and added a team-best three assists.

Wood led all scorers by tying a career-high with 32 points. Casey Brown scored 12 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds while Stahl contributed 11 points.

Otterbein returns to action when they travel to play John Carroll next Saturday. Tip-off from University Heights is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Cards Gear Up for Rivalry Game With #8 Capital
Written Jan. 15, 2009 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein (3-12, 1-7 OAC) plays host to #8 Capital (13-1, 6-1 OAC) Saturday evening, 7:30 p.m., in the Rike Center.

Otterbein currently assumes the tenth spot in the Ohio Athletic Conference standings while the Crusaders sit in second place, one game behind Wilmington.

The Cardinals return to Westerville after dropping a 71-62 decision at Wilmington Wednesday evening. Sophomore wing Ian Gardner led the club with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting in the game while freshman guard Brice Rausch scored 11.

Otterbein is led by junior guard Brian Pollock, who’s 19.2 ppg has him sitting as the second-leading scorer in the conference. The London native entered the week leading the OAC in scoring, but that spot now belongs to Muskingum’s Trevor Scott (19.4 ppg). In addition to his scoring, Pollock leads the team in steals (20) and ranks second in rebounding (5.5/game).

Gardner and Rausch hold identical scoring averages of 11.3 ppg while Rausch is tied with Pollock for second on the team in assists (2.2/game). Junior forward Cory Ratai sits fifth in the league in rebounding (7.1/game) and also contributes 9.7 ppg.

Sophomore point guard Dan Kessler leads the club in assists (3.2/game) and is chipping in 7.1 points per contest. He is one of only three Cardinals that has played in every game this season.

Capital, ranked eighth in the nation by D3hoops.com, is entering the game fresh off an 85-83 win over upset minded Heidelberg this past Wednesday in Bexley. Senior wing Ryan Wood led the Crusaders with 13 points in the game.

Capital features preseason third-team All-American Nate Stahl, who is second on the team in scoring with 13.4 ppg. The 6'6" senior also leads the team in steals (17) and blocks (13) this season.

Wood leads the offensive attack with a team-best 15.6 points per night while senior post Quintin Mitchell is dropping 10.3 ppg. Senior point guard Jake Fanning is the OAC’S leading free-throw shooter (.919) while Wood ranks third (.861).

Capital swept the season series between the two teams last year, winning 86-57 on their home court before pulling out an 87-77 victory in Westerville during the last week of the regular season.

Otterbein Falls at Wilmington
Written Jan. 14, 2009 by Adam Prescott

WILMINGTON, OHIO—Otterbein (3-12, 1-7 OAC) suffered a 71-62 defeat to Wilmington (11-4, 7-1 OAC) Wednesday evening at the Fred Raizk Arena.

Otterbein opened the game on a 16-5 run capped by a three-pointer form freshman guard Brice Rausch at the 15:32 mark.

The Quakers then responded with a 22-1 run to take a 27-17 lead with 7:46 left to play in the opening frame. The spurt, which lasted spanned nearly eight minutes, was finished off by a jumper from Wilmington's R.J. Brown.

The Quakers pushed their lead to 59-38 when Tyler White made a layup with 12:55 showing on the game clock.

Otterbein continued to battle and eventually pulled to within nine, at 69-60, when freshman post Mat Greene made a jumper with 43 seconds remaining.

However, it proved to be too little too late as Wilmington earned a 71-62 victory to remain in first place atop the OAC standings.

Sophomore wing Ian Gardner led the Cards with 18 points while Rausch finished with 11.

Otterbein shot .400 from the floor while Wilmington held a .567 field-goal percentage. The Cards held a 33-21 rebound advantage.

Otterbein next returns home to host Capital in game two of a men's/women's double-header here in Westerville. The women tip-off at 5:30 p.m. while the men are slated to begin at 7:30 p.m.

Ratai Tallies Double-Double in Loss at Heidelberg
Written Jan. 10, 2009 by Ed Syguda

TIFFIN, OHIO—Heidelberg finished with a rush to hold off visiting Otterbein, 72-62, Saturday afternoon in Seiberling Gymnasium.

Otterbein, 3-11 overall, dropped to 1-6 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). Heidelberg, 5-8 overall, improved to 2-4 in league play.

The Berg led by five at the half, 31-26, in what was a back-and-forth game. The first half featured five lead changes and seven ties.

The Student Princes built their lead to as many as eight points, 50-42, with 11:04 remaining, but that was when things tightened again. The Cardinals scored 14 of the game’s next 18 points to gain its first lead of the half, 56-54, with 4:14 remaining. Otterbein still led by one, 60-59, with 2:33 to play.

Heidelberg retook the lead, 61-60, on a layup from junior forward Travis Kinn with 2:22 remaining and made 11 of 14 free throws down the stretch to earn the victory.

Three Cardinal players scored in double digits, led by junior forward Cory Ratai, who scored 17 on 7-of-13 shooting. The junior tallied his third double-double of the season. He had 10 rebounds. Junior guard Brian Pollock scored 17, and sophomore forward Ian Gardner chipped in 12.

Otterbein shot 39.0 percent from the field, making 23 of 59. The Cardinals hit just two of 16 from three-point range. Heidelberg shot just 37.0 percent for the game, making 20 of 54 field-goal attempts. The Berg, however, out-scored Otterbein, 29-14, from the free-throw line. Otterbein held a big advantage in rebounding, 46-31.

The Cardinals remain on the road, traveling to Wilmington Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.

Rausch Tallies Double-Double in Loss to B-W
Written Jan. 7, 2009 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Baldwin-Wallace came away with its first Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) win of the season, turning back host Otterbein, 84-64, Wednesday evening in the Rike Center.

The Yellow Jackets, 5-7 overall, improved to 1-4 in the OAC. The Cardinals dropped to 3-10 and 1-5 in conference play.

Baldwin-Wallace controlled the game throughout and held a 41-27 advantage at the half. The Yellow Jackets continued to extend their lead in the second period, up by 17, 55-38, with 15:20 to play in the game.

Otterbein fought back, cutting the lead to eight twice, the last time, trailing, 57-49, with 11:00 remaining. The Yellow Jackets countered with a 14-0 run to boost its lead to 22 and put the game out of reach.

Junior guard Brian Pollock, who came into the game leading the OAC in scoring, added another 20 points tonight on 6-of-17 shooting. He made 4 of 9 three-point attempts. Freshman guard Brice Rausch tallied his first double-double of his career, scoring 15 points along with 10 rebounds. Junior forward Cory Ratai added nine points and five rebounds.

Senior center Andrew Bene paced the B-W attack, collecting 19 points and 10 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season.

The Cardinals did not have a good night shooting, making 22 of 58 field-goal attempts for 37.9 percent. B-W shot 50.0 percent, making 32 of 64. Otterbein made 9 of 20 three-point attempts and 11 of 15 from the free-throw line. B-W hit 8 of 17 three-pointers and made 12 of 14 from the free-throw line. Rebounds were dead even, each team pulling down 36.

Otterbein travels to Heidelberg next while Baldwin-Wallace hosts Muskingum Saturday. Tip-off for both games is 3 p.m.

Cards, B-W Square off in Crucial OAC Matchup
Written Jan. 5, 2009 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein takes on the Yellow Jackets of Baldwin-Wallace, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday in the Rike Center in a critical Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.

Both teams seek a move up in the conference standings with Baldwin-Wallace, 4-7 overall, sitting at the bottom of the OAC at 0-4. Otterbein, 3-9 overall, holds down the ninth spot with a 1-3 record.

The Cardinals, under 37th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, head into the game off an 82-61 loss to OAC leader Ohio Northern last Saturday at home in the Rike Center.

The game was tight throughout the first half with seven ties and five lead changes. The Polar Bears, however, closed the first half with a 9-2 run to take a five-point lead, 40-35, into the locker room. Both teams shot well in the period—Otterbein at 53.8 percent (14 of 26) and Ohio Northern at 63.6 percent (14 of 22).

Northern continued its run in the second period, boosting its lead into double-digits, 51-40, with 14:57 to play in the game. Otterbein would get no closer over the remainder of the contest.

Otterbein guard Brian Pollock led all scorers with 27 points. The junior made 10 of 19 shots from the field. Junior forward Cory Ratai tallied 10 points and seven rebounds.

Baldwin-Wallace, under seventh-year head coach Duane Sheldon, who is in his first season with the Yellow Jackets, comes into the game fresh off a championship in the Smokey Ballenger Classic held Dec. 27-28 at Otterbein. The Yellow Jackets defeated Thomas More, 69-66, in the opening round and North Central, 72-67, in the championship game.

Senior post Andrew Bene was named the tournament MVP and earned OAC Player of the Week honors for his performance in the Ballenger Classic. Over the two games, Bene scored 39 points, grabbed 23 rebounds and made 14 of 19 field-goal attempts for 73.7 percent.

At the beginning of the week, Otterbein’s Pollock led the OAC in scoring, averaging 21.0 points a game, and sat second in made three-pointers (3.0/game) and steals (1.90/game). Otterbein junior forward Cory Ratai ranked fifth in rebounding (7.3/game), but led the OAC in offensive rebounding with a 3.75 average.

B-W’s Bene held down the top spot in the OAC for rebounding (10.2/game) and ranked ninth in scoring (15.7/game). He is averaging 1.27 blocked shots a game, third best in the OAC.

The two teams split a pair of games in 2007-08, each winning at home. Junior guard Louis Tumblin led Baldwin-Wallace with 21 points in a 93-87 victory in Berea while Pollock scored what was then a career-high 28 points in a 94-84 win in Westerville.

Ohio Northern Remains Atop OAC with 82-61 Win
Written Jan. 3, 2009 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Ohio Northern improved to 5-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), turning back Otterbein, 82-61, Saturday evening in the Rike Center.

The Polar Bears, improving to 10-2 overall, maintained its one-game lead over Wilmington (8-4, 4-1) atop the OAC standings. Otterbein, 3-9 overall, dropped to 1-4 in conference play.

Northern continued its run in the second period, boosting its lead into double-digits, 51-40, with 14:57 to play in the game. Otterbein would get no closer over the remainder of the contest.

Otterbein guard Brian Pollock led all scorers with 27 points. The junior made 10 of 19 shots from the field. Junior forward Cory Ratai tallied 10 points and seven rebounds.

Northern placed four players in double-digit scoring, led by senior wing Kurtis Brown, with 16 points. Sophomore wing Sam Bastian and junior wing Kyle Meyer scored 12 points apiece. Junior guard Ezra Bradshaw chipped in 10.

The Polar Bears finished the game red hot, shooting 65.1 percent from the field (28 of 43). Northern made 6 of 13 from three-point range, and 20 of 28 from the free-throw line.

The Cardinals shot 42.3 percent (22 of 52) for the game, but made just three of 19 three-point attempts. Otterbein made 14 of 19 free throws. Otterbein did out-rebound Ohio Northern 30-22.

Cards Host Ohio Northern in Return to Conference Play
Written December 30, 2008 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO - Otterbein (3-8, 1-4 OAC) returns to conference action as they host Ohio Northern (9-2, 4-0 OAC) Saturday, 7:30 p.m., in the Rike Center.

Otterbein is entering the contest fresh off their 80-65 consolation game victory over Thomas More (KY) in the Smokey Ballenger Tournament held here at Otterbein this past weekend. The Cards, who fell to North Central (IL) by a score of 73-56 in their opening round game of the tournament, were led by junior guard Brian Pollock’s career-high 30 points in their win over Thomas More. In addition to his scoring, the London, Ohio native also tallied nine rebounds and a team-best four steals in the victory. Otterbein also used 14 points and a career-high 12 rebounds from junior forward Cory Ratai in the win. For his effort, Ratai was named to the all-tournament team.

Pollock leads the team and is second in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) in scoring, averaging 20.3 ppg. In addition, he is second on the team in rebounding (5.6 rpg) and leads the club with 18 steals this season.

Freshman guard Brice Rausch is second on the team in scoring, contributing 12.4 points per outing. He is one of two players that has started all 11 games for the Cards this season, and is shooting .522 (47 of 90) from the field.

Ratai and sophomore point guard Dan Kessler combine to add 17.7 ppg to the offensive attack. Ratai leads the team with 7.4 rpg while Kessler is the team’s leading distributer, averaging three assists per contest.

The Polar Bears enter the contest coming off a 79-71 loss to Ramapo (N.J.) in the championship game of the Surf N’ Slam Tournament held in San Diego, California this Sunday and Monday. The team defeated Linfield (OR) in the opening round, but 19 points from the reigning OAC Player of the Week Kyle Meyer and 18 from Sam Bastian was not enough to push ONU to the tournament title.

Meyer, who’s 17.0 ppg ranks him fifth in the conference, also paces the Polar Bears with 6.3 rebounds per contest.

Kurtis Brown, Ezra Bradshaw, and Bastain combine to contribute 35.9 ppg to an offense that ranks fourth in the league by posting 76.6 points per outing. Jake Canaan averages 9.9 ppg and was second in the OAC in field-goal percentage at the beginning of the week, converting .618 of his attempts from the field.

As a team, the Polar Bears only allow 66.2 ppg, a mark good enough to rank them second in the conference.

Last season, Ohio Northern swept the season series with the Cardinals. The Polar Bears earned a close 78-72 victory in Ada at the beginning of the season before winning a 103-74 decision here in Westerville nearly two months later.

Otterbein Defeats Thomas More Behind Pollock's 30 Points
Written December 28, 2008 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO - Otterbein (3-8) defeated Thomas More (KY) (5-5) by a score of 80-65 Sunday afternoon in the consolation game of the Smokey Ballenger Tournament.

Otterbein opened the first five minutes of the game by going on a 14-2 run capped by a layup from freshman center Steve Isaac.

The Cards were able to keep a double-digit lead for the majority of the remaining first half of play behind the hot shooting of junior guard Brian Pollock. Pollock, who did not play in the opening round game, scored 18 first half points and helped give the team a 45-27 halftime lead.

Thomas More was able to cut the Cardinal lead to ten, at 54-44, when Matt Tierney converted a spin move in the lane with 11:53 remaining on the second half clock.

However, Otterbein pushed the lead back to 17 on a tip-in from Pollock with 8:27 remaining.

Pollock led all scorers by tallying a career-high 30 points on 9-of-17 shooting. He also grabbed nine rebounds and had four steals. Junior forward Cory Ratai recorded a double-double with 14 points and a career-high 12 caroms.

Otterbein held a 42-31 rebounding advantage and shot .467 from three-point range compared to just .143 for Thomas More.

The Cardinals next return to action when they host Ohio Northern on Saturday. Tip-off from the Rike Center is set for 7:30 p.m.

cards Fall to North Central in Opening Round of the Ballenger Classic
Written December 27, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, missing two starters due to a team violation, fell to North Central, 73-56, in the first round of the Smokey Ballenger Classic held Saturday in the Rike Center.

The Cardinals will face the winner of the game between Baldwin-Wallace and Thomas More (KY) in the consolation game, 3 p.m., Sunday.

Otterbein fell behind early, trailing North Central by 13 points, 15-2, five minutes into the game. North Central led, 36-28, at the half.

Otterbein closed the gap to one, 37-36, with an 8-1 run to open the second half, but that was as close as the Cardinals would get. North Central countered with a 12-2 run to push its lead back into double digits, 49-38, with 14:08 to play in the game.

Freshman guard Brice Rausch led Otterbein with 13 points. Junior forward Cory Ratai added 11 points and five rebounds. Sophomore forward Allan Kavanaugh chipped in nine points and five rebounds.

North Central senior forward Chris Drennan led all players with 26 points. He made 13 of 20 shots from the field. Junior guard Reid Barringer scored 13.

North Central shot 53.1 percent from the field, making 26 of 49 attempts. They made four of six from three-point range, and 17 of 21 from the free-throw line.

Otterbein shot 44.7 percent from the field, making 21 of 47, and 50 percent from the free-throw line on 8-of-16 shooting. The Cardinals attempted 17 three-pointers, making six.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein (2-7) fell to Wittenberg (3-5) by a score of 87-66 on Monday evening at the Rike Center.

The Cardinals took a 21-13 first half advantage when freshman center Steve Isaac made a layup with 9:25 showing on the clock.

However, the Tigers would respond and eventually take a 36-34 lead on a Michael Cooper layup with just over one minute remaining in the opening frame.

The Tigers extended their lead to ten, at 55-45, when Kevin Murray drained a triple at the 13:22 mark of the second half.

Unfortunately, Otterbein was never able to make a push to even the game as Wittenberg opened the gap and eventually earned an 87-66 non-conference victory.

The Cards were led by 20 points from junior guard Brian Pollock while junior forward Cory Ratai just missed a double-double by recording 16 points and nine boards. Freshman guard Brice Rausch contributed 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting.

Otterbein shot .460 from the field compared to .514 for Wittenberg. The visitors held a 38-29 edge on the glass and committed just six turnovers to Otterbein’s 15.

The Cards next return to action on Saturday when they play in The Smoky Ballenger Tournament held in the Rike Center. The team will host North Central (IL) at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Cards to Host Wittenberg Monday Evening
Written December 21, 2008 by Adam Prescott

Otterbein (2-6) will look to grab another home victory tonight as they host Wittenberg (2-5) in non-conference action here in the Rike Center. The Cards defeated Marietta, 76-68, last Wednesday to earn their first home and conference win of the young season.

The Tan and Cardinal are paced by junior guard Brian Pollock, who averages 19.0 ppg. In addition, Pollock leads the team in minutes per game (37.9), steals (14), and assists (19). Sophomore wing Ian Gardner and freshman guard Brice Rausch contribute 12.7 ppg and 12.4 ppg, respectively. Both have recorded nine steals on the season while Rausch has 19 assists and is shooting .530 (35 of 56) from the field.

Otterbein is coming off an 80-58 loss at the hands of Mount Union this past Saturday in Alliance. Gardner led the team with 13 points while sophomore guard Dan Kessler added 11. Pollock did not make the trip with the team.

Wittenberg is led by senior wing Kevin Murray and junior guard David Nowicki, who average 12.1 ppg and 10.3 ppg, respectively. Murray leads the team in rebounding this season by hauling in 4.3 boards per game, while Nowicki has dished out a team-best 19 assists. Both players have started all seven contests this season while Nowicki is connecting on 40% (10 of 25) of his three-point attempts.

The Tigers lost their first conference game this past Saturday by falling at Hiram by a score of 80-77. Murray paced the team with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting in that game while freshman wing Michael Cooper scored 12.

Otterbein is shooting .461 from the field this season compared to .398 for Wittenberg. The Cards hold a .405 three-point field-goal percentage while the Tigers are shooting .264 from behind the arc.

Last season, Otterbein dropped an 87-73 contest at Wittenberg. Murray totaled 27 points to lead the Tigers while Kessler and junior forward Cory Ratai combined for 19 points and eight rebounds in the loss.

ALLIANCE, OHIO – Otterbein (2-6, 1-3 OAC) lost to Mount Union (8-1, 3-1 OAC) by a score of 80-58 Saturday afternoon in the Timken Gymnasium.

Mount Union took an early 14-6 lead when Dave Pellerite nailed a three-pointer just five minutes into the game.

The Cards responded, however, and tied the game at 16-16 when sophomore guard Dan Kessler hit a triple with 11:37 remaining in the opening half.

The Raiders then used a 19-3 run in the last 7:23 of the first half to take extend their lead to 45-27 at the half.

Mount was able to maintain their lead in the second half and earn an 80-58 victory as Otterbein was never able to make a push to cut the deficit.

Sophomore wing Ian Gardner led Otterbein with 13 points while Kessler scored 11. The Purple Raiders were paced by 19 points from Jay Mathis and 17 from Pellerite.

The Cards shot .447 from the field compared to .544 for Mount. The Raiders also held a 34-24 edge on the glass.

Otterbein next returns home to host Wittenberg on Monday, Tip-off form the Rike Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein placed four players in double-digit scoring on its way to a 76-68 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) win over Marietta Wednesday evening in the Rike Center.

The Cardinals improved to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in the OAC while the Pioneers fell to 3-5 overall and 0-3 in league play.

Marietta led by eight points at the half, 35-27, and extended it to 10 to open the second half of play. The Cards fought back, chipping away at the lead to tie the game at 49 with 11:52 to play in the second half, and took the lead for good, 56-55, on a jumper from sophomore forward Alan Kavanaugh with 8:47 to play.

Sophomore forward Ian Gardner led the Cardinals with 18 points. Junior forward Cory Ratai, who scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half, just missed a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds. Ratai hit 8 of 12 shots from the field. Junior guard Brian Pollock scored 16 as well while freshman guard Brice Rausch chipped in 10.

Freshman forward Trevor Halter paced the Marietta attack with 16 points, including four three-pointers. Senior forward Matt Kubachka scored 13, making 6 of 9 field-goal attempts.

Both teams had a good night at the free-throw line. Marietta made 9 of 10 attempts (90.0 percent) while the Cardinals hit 16 of 19 (82.4 percent). The Cardinals shot 42.9 percent from the field, making 27 of 63 attempts, but hit 16 of 33 (48.5 percent) in the second half. The Pioneers shot 43.3 percent for the game, making 26 of 59 attempts. Otterbein edged Marietta, 36-35, in rebounding.

Otterbein (1-5, 0-2 OAC) prepares to host Marietta (3-4, 0-2 OAC) Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., at the Rike Center in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup. Both teams will be looking to earn their first league victory of the season.

The Cards are led by junior guard Brian Pollock, who is the conference’s third-leading scorer at 19.5 ppg. In addition, he leads the OAC in three-point field goals made per game (3.5) and sits fourth in both assists (3.0) and steals (1.67/game). Freshman guard Brice Rausch is second on the squad in scoring with 13.7 ppg and is shooting .561 (32 of 57) from the field this season. Junior forward Cory Ratai currently leads the team with seven rebounds per game, a mark also good enough to rank him sixth in the league.

The Cardinals enter the game having lost a close 84-77 decision at Muskingum on Saturday. Pollock led the team with 22 points and three steals in the contest while freshman center Steve Isaac scored a career-best 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting.

As a team, Otterbein ranks first in the conference in both three-point field-goal percentage (.459) and three-pointers made per game (9.17).

Marietta is led by freshman wing Trevor Halter and senior guard Isaiah Creasap, who average 12.7 ppg and 10.0 ppg, respectively. Creasap is second on the team in assists (2.14/game) while is shooting .423 (30 of 71) from the field. Freshman forward Zane Carter leads the team in blocked shots (14), steals (9), in addition to being the team’s second-leading rebounder (5.4 rpg).

The Pioneers are coming into Wednesday's contest fresh off a slim 66-63 loss at Wilmington Saturday. Carter led the Pioneers with 13 points and seven rebounds in the loss to the Quakers while senior forward Matt Kubachka added 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

Last season, Otterbein defeated the Pioneers 71-61 in Marietta behind 18 points from Ross Banaszak and a 12 point/12 rebound effort from Ryan Kennedy. Later in the season, the Pioneers slipped away from Westerville with a 96-95 overtime victory against the Cards behind Jordan Cox’s 21 points. Creasap and Kubachka also contributed by combining for 30 points and eight assists in the overtime win.

NEW CONCORD, OH – Otterbein (1-5, 0-2 OAC) fell to Muskingum (4-3, 2-1 OAC) by a score of 84-77 on Saturday afternoon in New Concord.

The Muskies took a quick 10-5 lead on a layup form Trevor Scott at the 16:40 mark.

The Cards battled back, however, and took a 16-15 lead on a three-pointer from sophomore point guard Dan Kessler with 10:39 showing on the first half clock.

Otterbein was able to extend their lead to as many as eight before settling for a 42-36 halftime advantage.

The Muskies climbed back and took a 52-51 lead on a Cory Bourquin trifecta with 14:51 remaining in the contest.

The Cards then responded with a short 7-2 run finished off by a layup from sophomore forward Alan Kavanaugh at the 11:26 mark, giving the team a 58-54 lead.

However, the hosts would then embark on a 15-2 run over the next five minutes to take a 69-60 lead. The spurt was finished by a triple from Scott with just over six minutes left to play.

Otterbein was never able to pull any closer than five points the remainder of the game as Muskingum would hold on for a 84-77 victory.

Junior guard Brian Pollock paced the Cardinals with 22 points while freshman center Steve Isaac tallied a career-high 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Kessler made all four of his field-goal attempts to total 12 points in just 22 minutes.

Scott led all scorers with 29 points while Bourquin chipped in 18 on 7-of-9 shooting.

Otterbein shot .429 from the field compared to .547 for the Muskies. The Cards held a 36-38 edge on the glass but committed 15 turnovers to only 11 for Muskingum.

The Cards next return home to host Marietta on Wednesday. Tip-off from the Rike Center is set for 7:30 p.m.

Cards Fall to John Carroll in Conference Opener
Written December 6, 2008 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OH – Otterbein (1-4, 0-1 OAC) fell to John Carroll (3-2, 1-0 OAC) by a score of 86-81 on Saturday evening at the Rike Center.

The Blue Streaks came out strong by going on a 15-2 run finished off by a three-pointer from Rudy Kirbus at the 16:40 mark.

Otterbein then began it’s climb back and took thief first lead of the contest, at 38-37, with 2:32 remaining in the first half when freshman forward Mat Greene converted a layup off an assist from sophomore point guard Dan Kessler. The lead would change hands three times in the final two minutes before John Carroll took a slim 44-43 edge into the break.

The Cardinals began the second half with a huge 18-3 spurt to take a 61-47 lead with 13:43 remaining in the game. The run was completed by a trifecta from junir guard Brian Pollock.

The Streaks then out-scored Otterbein 26-12 over the next nine minutes to even the game at 73-73 when Kirbus finished a layup opportunity.

After an Alan Kavanaugh layup put the Cards back on top at 75-73, John Carroll’s Brian Dandrea sank a three-pointer to put the visitors ahead 76-75 with just under four minutes remaining.

Both teams played even over the next three minutes until Otterbein had possession with 37 seconds left and trailing by three points. Unfortunately, a Pollock three-point attempt fell short and John Carroll made their free-throw attempts the rest of the way to preserve an 86-81 victory.

Pollock paced Otterbein with 20 points, four assists, and four steals while freshman guard Brice Rausch and junior forward Cory Ratai chipped in 15 and 13 points respectively. Freshman center Steve Isaac also contributed seven points and a career-high nine rebounds.

The Blue Streaks were led by Kirbus, who tallied a game best 26 points and team-high nine rebounds. Brian Dandrea added 17 points including three triples.

Otterbein shot .491 from the field compared to .431 for the visiting Streaks. John Carroll held a slim 38-36 edge on the glass.

The Cards next travel to play Muskingum on Saturday, December 13. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.

Otterbein to Host John Carroll in Conference Opener
Written December 5, 2008 by Adam Prescott

Otterbein, fresh off a four-game road trip down south, opens OAC play tomorrow evening with the Blue Streaks of John Carroll. The team enters the game holding a 1-3 record after competing in the Christopher Newport Tournament and also playing games at Birmingham Southern (AL) and Sewanee (TN). The Cards have lost three games by a combined 14 points in addition to claiming a 78-68 victory over Birmingham on Monday.

The Cardinals feature junior guard Brian Pollock, who enters the contest leading the team in scoring (18.8 ppg.), minutes played (37.2/game), and is tied for the team lead in assists (2.5 apg.). He is also tied for second on the team in rebounding, hauling in 5.3 boards per contest. The London, Ohio native played every minute at Christopher Newport last weekend and was the tournament’s leading scorer. For his efforts, he was named to the all-tournament team and is also the reigning Ohio Athletic Conference Player of the Week.

Combining with Pollock to help pace Otterbein are sophomore wing Ian Gardner and freshman guard Brice Rausch. Gardner is averaging 12.5 ppg. and 4.3 rpg. while Rausch is second on the team in scoring (14.8 ppg.) and leads the club in steals (7). Junior Cory Ratai grabs a team-high 6.5 rpg. and recorded his first double-double on the season in the loss to Sewanee on Tuesday.

John Carroll, picked fourth in the conference preseason poll, enters the contest with a 2-2 overall record. The Blue Streaks opened the season by competing in the Buffalo State Coles Classic and the Carnegie Mellon Invitational. JCU lost their opening-round game in each of those tournaments but won the consolation game each time.

Junior forward Rudy Kirbus leads the Blue Streaks in scoring (18.0 ppg.), rebounding (6.5 rpg.) and field-goal percentage (.636). Last weekend, Kirbus recorded a career-high 26 points in a two-point loss to Carnegie Mellon before turning around to post a game-high 23 points in the consolation game victory over York (NY). His output over that weekend was good enough to earn a spot on the all-tournament team.

Also playing a crucial role for the Streaks is sophomore forward Maurice Haynes II. Haynes is the team’s second-leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 13.8 ppg. and hauling in 3.3 boards per contest. He also leads the team with seven blocks on the season.

Last season, the two teams split contests with each school winning on their home court. Ratai led the Cards with 19 points in the loss at John Carroll (12/1/07) and finished with 12 points and a team-high five boards in the win at home (1/26/08).

Cardinals Fall to Sewanee in Final Game of Road Trip
Written December 2, 2008 by Adam Prescott

SEWANEE, TN – Otterbein (1-3) fell to Sewanee (2-4) by a score of 78-70 on Tuesday night at the Juhan Gymnasium.

The Cardinals opened the contest with a quick 12-6 run capped by a layup from junior forward Cory Ratai at the 14:54 mark. The score was a put-back after Ratai corralled a missed dunk attempt by freshman guard Brice Rausch.

The Tigers then went on an 8-0 run finished when Sam Martin hit a shot from behind the arc. The spurt gave the hosts a 16-12 lead with 12:16 showing on the first half clock.

Both teams would play even the rest of the first half as Sewanee took a 35-31 lead into halftime.

Sewanee pushed their lead to nine, at 47-38, when Ben Pursell converted a layup with 14:34 remaining in the game.

However, Otterbein responded by rattling off eight points in a row to pull within two, at 47-45, when Rausch drilled a three-pointer at the 12:12 mark.

Unfortunately, the Tigers extended their lead to 61-49 by going on a 14-4 run over the next six minutes of action.

The Cards were able to cut the lead to four points with 25 seconds remaining when sophomore Ian Gardner sank a trifecta, but it was too little too late as Sewanee hung on for a 78-70 victory.

Rausch led Otterbein with 19 points and four steals while Ratai and Gardner chipped in 11 points a piece. Ratai also grabbed ten rebounds to record his first double-double of the season.

The Cardinals shot .406 from the field compared to .500 for the Tigers. The hosts also held a slim 38-36 rebounding edge.

The loss wraps up a four game season opening road trip for the Cards. The team will return home to host John Carroll on Saturday evening. Tip-off from the Rike Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

BIRMINGHAM, AL – Otterbein (1-2) defeated Birmingham Southern (3-3) by a score of 78-68 on Monday evening at the Bill Battle Coliseum in Birmingham, Alabama.

Otterbein opened the game on a 10-4 run capped by two free throws from senior Dan Scheaf at the 14:03 mark.

The Cards extended the first half lead to 21-10 when junior guard Brian Pollock drilled a three-pointer with 9:35 showing on the first half clock.

The Panthers closed the Otterbein lead to one point, at 29-28, when Aaron Parr hit a couple of free throws with just under four minutes remaining before the break.

However, Otterbein would outscore Birmingham 10-4 the rest of the half and take a 39-32 advantage into intermission.

Parr connected on two more free throws at the 14:40 mark of the second half to draw the Panthers within four, at 44-40. However, the Cardinals responded by going on a quick 7-0 run finished off by a trifecta from sophomore Ian Gardner, pushing the lead back up to double digits at 51-40 with 12:51 remaining.

Birmingham was never able to draw any closer than five points throughout the remainder of the game as Otterbein preserved a 78-68 victory.

Gardner led the Cards with 18 points while Pollock contributed 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Otterbein will conclude their season opening road trip tomorrow when they play Sewanne: The University of the South in Tennessee. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein junior guard Brian Pollock (London/London) has been named the Ohio Athletic Conference Player of the Week in men’s basketball, announced the conference office Monday morning.

Pollock led Otterbein into the Christopher Newport Invitational this past weekend where they suffered two defeats by a combined six points.

However, Pollock was the tournament’s leading scorer, having totaled 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting to go along with seven rebounds against Wesley (DE) during the first day of action. He then turned around to post 29 points, including six three-pointers, against host Christopher Newport (VA) on day two.

In addition, Pollock played every minute of both games over the weekend and also tied for the team lead in assists and steals.

The Cardinals return to action tonight when they play at Birmingham Southern College (AL). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Otterbein Suffers Loss to Christopher Newport
Written November 29, 2008 by Adam Prescott

Newport, VA – Otterbein (0-2) suffered an 87-83 defeat at the hands of host Christopher Newport (2-2) on Saturday evening in the consolation game of the Christopher Newport Tournament.

The Cardinals grabbed an early 15-10 lead when freshman guard Brice Rausch converted a layup at the 12:56 mark of the first half.

Otterbein then extended the lead to 33-19 with 7:54 left in the opening stanza when sophomore forward Ian Gardner made a layup.

Newport came out strong in the second half and fought to within two, at 49-47, after a Mark Blasingame layup with 15:10 showing on the game clock.

Otterbein then outscored the Captains 28-16 over the next nine minutes to take a 77-63 lead with just over six minutes remaining in the contest. The scoring run was finished by a three-pointer from junior guard Brian Pollock, who had eight points during the span.

However, Newport then rattled off a 17-4 run capped by a layup from Michael Green at the 1:44 mark, bringing the hosts to within one at 81-80.

After a Cardinal turnover, the Captains took their first lead since holding an 8-7 edge at the beginning of the game when Blasingame converted a tip in attempt with one minute remaining, giving his team an 82-81 lead.

Following a pair of Pollock free throws that put Otterbein back on top momentarily, Newport’s Josh Russell buried a triple from behind the arc that would prove to be the game winner as the hosts would earn an 87-83 come from behind victory.

Pollock, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, led all scorers for the second day in a row by tallying a career-best 29 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Rausch added 17 points and a team-best four rebounds while sophomore guard Dan Kessler contributed 14.

The Captains were paced by Green and Russell, who totaled 22 and 19 points, respectively.

Otterbein shot .492 from the field compared to an even .500 for Newport. The Captains also held a slim 35-32 edge on the glass.

Otterbein next travels to play Birmingham Southern on Monday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Cardinals Fall to Wesley in Season Opener
Written November 28, 2008 by Adam Prescott

NEWPORT, VA – Otterbein (0-1) lost its season opener to Wesley College (2-2) by a score of 75-73 on Friday evening at the Freeman Center in the opening game of the Christopher Newport Invitational.

Wesley opened the contest on a 22-6 run capped by a layup from Rashawn Johnson at the 15:03 mark of the opening half.

The Cardinals then responded by going on a 20-7 run of their own to cut the Wolverine lead to 29-26 with 9:19 left in the half. The run was finished off by a three pointer from sophomore Dan Kessler.

Both teams managed 11 points throughout the remainder of the half as Wesley held a slim 40-37 lead at the break.

A layup from freshman Brice Rausch at the 12:57 mark in the second period brought Otterbein within on at 50-49. However, Wesley then embarked on a 14-5 run that was finished off by an Evan Martin layup, giving the Wolverines a 64-54 advantage with a little under nine minutes remaining.

Otterbein then rattled off a quick seven points in a row over a two-minute span, capped by a Kyle Molz three-pointer, to draw within three at 64-61.

Wesley pushed the lead back to six, at 74-68, with 90 seconds remaining. Unfortunately, the Wolverines would hang on for a close 75-73 victory after a Dan Kessler three-pointer missed at the buzzer.

Junior guard Brian Pollock led all scorers with 28 points while Rausch added 14 in his first collegiate game.

Wesley was paced by Martin and Johnson, who totaled 19 and 17 points, respectively.

Otterbein shot .431 from the field compared to .460 for the Wolverines. The Cardinals held a 46-36 edge on the boards but committed 16 turnovers to only ten for Wesley.

The Cards will play in the consolation game tomorrow against Christopher Newport.

Pollock, Ratai Lead Cardinals Into 2008-09 Season
Written November 25, 2008 by Adam Prescott

The Otterbein men’s basketball team looks to regroup during the 2008-09 season after losing four letterwinners and two key starters from last year’s squad. Among those lost were guards Ross Banaszak and Adam Wells, both of whom were All-Conference selections.

While the team may be in the process of adding new pieces to the puzzle, the coaching staff is looking forward to the new season and is eager to begin action.

“We are very young this season and will be without a true post player,” said Head Coach Dick Reynolds. “However, I like the work ethic and commitment of our young guys, and will really enjoy coaching them.”

After finishing 7-18 last winter, the Cardinals will be looking to get back to their winning ways of the 2006-07 season where they posted a 16-11 overall record and advanced to the semifinals of the OAC tournament.

Coach Dick Reynolds will be back to begin his 37^th season at the helm of the program. Reynolds has posted a career record of 618-359 since becoming the head coach at his alma mater.

Otterbein will be led by a pair of junior returning starters in Brian Pollock and Cory Ratai.

“Brian and Cory are familiar with the level of competition we will face and know what to expect heading into this season,” Reynolds said. “Hopefully they are able to bring the level of intensity that is needed to compete in our conference.”

Ratai led the Cardinals in rebounding last season by grabbing 5.9 boards per game, a mark that also ranked him ninth in the Ohio Athletic Conference. He started all 24 games last season and his .627 field-goal percentage was second best in the conference.

Pollock is the team’s leading returning scorer, having averaged 12.2 points per game last season. He also started in all 24 games during the 2007-08 campaign, and his .833 (55-of-66) free-throw percentage ranked him fifth in the league.

In addition, Otterbein will welcome back senior Dan Scheaf, who missed all of 2007-08 due to injury. Scheaf will also look to assume a leadership role, as he played in 25 games as a sophomore and 23 during his freshman season.

Other returning letterwinners include sophomores Alan Kavanaugh and Dan Kessler. Kavanaugh made eight starts last season and will be looked to contribute much more this year, while Kessler is expected to bring leadership to the point guard position with the graduation of Banaszak.

The Cards will also rely on freshman Brice Rausch and sophomore transfer Ian Gardner to complete a rotation that will most likely rely on different players night in and night out.

“It‘s all going to have to be done by committee this year,” explained Reynolds. “We have nobody who will go out and get us 25 points or 15 rebounds per game, so we will band together and get it done collectively.”

The Cardinals begin the 2008-09 season in Virginia at the Christopher Newport Tournament before playing games in Alabama and Tennessee.

Kyle Pottkotter To Serve As Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Written August 26, 2008 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein announced today the appointment of Kyle Pottkotter as the college’s Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach.

Pottkotter, 31, brings nine years of basketball coaching experience to the Otterbein men’s basketball program. Prior to coming to Otterbein, he served as the assistant men’s basketball coach at Denison University in Granville, Ohio from 2002-2008. In addition, he served as the head men’s golf coach.
Before going to Denison, Pottkotter held the position of assistant men’s basketball coach at The College of Wooster from 1999-2002. During his time at Wooster, he assisted in leading the Fighting Scots to one regular- season North Coast Athletic Conference Championship and two tournament championships.

“I am thrilled about becoming part of the Otterbein program, which has a rich history of success and excellence in such a respected conference like the OAC,” Pottkotter said. “I am very grateful for the opportunity to work for, and learn from, a legendary coach like Dick Reynolds, as well.”

A native of Celina, Ohio, Pottkotter earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Denison University in 1999. He then earned his master’s degree of Sport Science in Sport Coaching from the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, Alabama in 2002.

“I hope to contribute and build on the tradition of the basketball program, while helping to enhance the overall Otterbein experience of our student-athletes,” said Pottkotter. “I am also excited to assist in attracting future student athletes to Otterbein”.

Pottkotter currently resides in New Albany, Ohio.

Banaszak and Wells Earn All-OAC Honors
Written March 4, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein seniors Ross Banaszak and Adam Wells were named to All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) teams in men’s basketball, the OAC released today.

Banaszak, a point guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes High School), was named to the first team. Wells, a shooting guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), landed on the honorable mention team. The pair sits one, two in scoring in the OAC.

Banaszak, a three-time All-OAC pick, leads the OAC in scoring, 19.2 points a game, and minutes played, averaging 38.8 per outing. The point guard sits second in the OAC in steals (1.9/game); third in assists (4.9/game) and free-throw percentage (86.0); seventh in three-point field-goal percentage (41.8); and tenth in made three-pointers (2.1/game).

Wells leads the OAC in made three-pointers, averaging 3.6 per game, which is ninth best in NCAA Division III basketball through games of March 2. Wells ranks second in the OAC in scoring (18.9/game) and sixth in minutes played (33.0/game).

Both players hit the 1,000-point career mark this season.

Banaszak finishes his career with 1,388 points and 359 assists. He set a school career record for free-throw accuracy, hitting 294 of 336 attempts for 87.5 percent.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, a winner in two of its last three games, fell on “Senior Night” to cross-town foe and eighth-ranked Capital, 87-77, Saturday night in Westerville.

Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood High School), became the second Cardinal this year to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), did it earlier this year. Wells topped the mark on a career-high 36 points, including a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, while Banaszak added 18 in his final game in an Otterbein uniform. Banaszak finished his career with 1,368 points, good for 13th in school history.

“Both played very hard and finished their career very respectfully,” said 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds. “Both have represented the program very well for four years and we were glad to have them as a part of Otterbein basketball.”

The Crusaders jumped out to a 21-11 lead before the Cards were able to go on a 16-6 run, including two three-pointers from Wells, to tie the game at 27 with 4:11 left in the first half. Capital would answer back with an 18-7 spurt of its own to take a 45-34 lead into halftime.

The second stanza would start with both teams going cold from the field before Capital opened up a 58-41 lead at the 11:13 mark. Wells and Banaszak would score 15 of the Cards next 23 points to bring Otterbein within nine with 4:33 to play. The Cards would cut the Crusader lead to seven on a three-pointer by Wells with 0:59 left in regulation to give him exactly 1,000 points for his career. Otterbein would not be able to make it any closer as Capital would go on to win by 10.

The Crusaders placed five players in double-figure scoring. Ross Niekamp, a junior forward from St. Henry, led the way with 20 points off the bench while Steve Kyser, a senior forward from Sylvania (Southview), added 13, including 8-of-8 from the free-throw line.

The Cardinals (7-17), tied for eighth in the OAC standings at 6-11, endured a rough start to the season as they collected only three wins in their first 16 games. They enter the season finale, however, playing their best basketball, including an 80-67 victory over Wilmington Wednesday, and are fighting for the last spot in the OAC Tournament, which is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

Capital (20-4), the OAC regular-season champion at 15-2 and ranked nationally, fell to Heidelberg, 80-74, at home Wednesday.

Ottebein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, raced out of the locker room at halftime and went on a 27-7 run to turn a one-point deficit at the half into a 19-point lead over the Quakers with 9:53 left in the game played Wednesday in Wilmington. Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London (London High School), started the run with a three-pointer and ended it with a pair of free throws.

Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), led the Cardinal attack with 28 points, including 5 of 10 from three-point land, and Pollock added 24 points, going 9 of 10 from the foul line.

Capital, under 14th-year head coach Damon Goodwin, never recovered after the Student Princes hit a three-pointer with 12:29 remaining in the second half, giving them a 55-53 lead Wednesday. The Crusaders closed to within one at 71-70, but Heidelberg held Capital to four points the rest of the way. Nate Stahl, a junior wing from Saint Henry, led Capital with 15 points.

Entering midweek, the Cardinals’ Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 19.3 points a game; and ranked second in steals (1.96 a game), second in free-throw percentage (80 of 93 for 86.0 percent), third in assists (4.96 a game), fourth in three-point field-goal percentage (51 of 116 for 44.0 percent) and eighth in made three-point field goals (2.22 a game).

Otterbein’s Wells led the conference in three-point field-goals made (3.37 a game), and ranked second in scoring (18.0 a game).

Cards Turn Back Yellow Jackets
Written Feb. 13, 2008 by Brett Rybak

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – The Otterbein Cardinals jumped out to a 45-33 halftime lead and cruised to a 94-84 victory over Baldwin-Wallace in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play Wednesday in the Rike Center.

The Cardinals hit 15 three-pointers and shot 53.4 percent from the field while limiting Baldwin-Wallace to 44.9 percent from the field and only 8 of 27 from behind the arc.

Brian Pollock, a junior guard from London, scored a career-high 28 points while Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood High School), also added 28. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), chipped in 21. The trio combined to shoot 14 of 25 from behind the three-point line and 15 of 16 from the free-throw line.

The Cardinals finished the first half on a 24-12 run over the final 8:38. The lead grew to 15 with 13:19 left in the second half before Baldwin-Wallace went on a 7-0 run over the next 2:55 to pull within eight points, 61-53, with 10:24 to play. That was as close as the Yellow Jackets would get in the second half as Otterbein made 12 of 15 free throws over the remainder of the game.

Pollock and Wells led the Cardinals, combining to shoot 18 of 33 from the field while Banaszak finished 6 of 9, including 5 of 6 from three-point land. Sean Cross, a junior Center from Millersburg (West Holmes), added a career-high 14 rebounds in the win.

Kyle Brown, a sophomore forward from Strongsville, led the Yellow Jackets with 19 points while Louis Tumblin, a sophomore guard from Elyria (Senior), added 14.

The Cardinals (5-16), ninth in the conference standings at 4-10, traveled to Alliance on Saturday and lost to Mount Union, 76-71. Baldwin-Wallace (8-13), tied for seventh in the OAC with Mount Union at 5-9, dropped a league contest at Wilmington on Saturday, 70-60.

Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, took its first lead of the game at Mount Union, 48-47, at the 14:50 mark of the second half on a jumper by Frank Hall, a junior forward from Plain City (Jonathan Alder). The Cardinals built the lead to six and maintained it until Mount Union hit a three-pointer with 5:05 remaining in the game to take the lead 68-66. Hall tied it at 68 on a lay-up, but the Purple Raiders pulled away in the final minutes. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), 18 points and six assists, and Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, 17 points, led the Cards.

Baldwin-Wallace, under 28th-year head coach Steve Bankson, fell behind by as many as 17 to Wilmington in the second half last Saturday and could never get closer than eight points. Kyle Brown, a sophomore wing from Strongsville, led the Yellow Jackets with 12 points.

The Cardinals lost in overtime, 93-87, to the Yellow Jackets in the season’s first meeting in Berea Jan. 9. Baldwin-Wallace put together a 21-11 run in the final 10:27 to send the game to overtime. Otterbein scored the first two points of overtime, but Baldwin-Wallace grabbed the lead for good with 2:32 left. Banaszak led the Cards with 21 points

Entering the week, Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 20.3 points a game; and ranked second in steals (2.05 a game), second in free-throw percentage (71 of 82 for 86.6 percent), third in assists (5.20 a game), sixth in three-point field-goal percentage (44 of 103, 42.7 percent) and eighth in made three-point field goals (2.20 a game).

Otterbein’s Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), led the conference in made three-point field goals (3.19 a game), and ranked third in scoring (17.0 a game).

Baldwin-Wallace’s Brendan Schuler, a senior guard from Fairview Park (Fairview), ranked seventh in the OAC in scoring (14.9 a game), second in assists (5.71 a game) and second in three-point field-goal percentage (40 of 83 for 48.2 percent). Tyler Sekerak, a senior guard from Corry, Penn., led the conference in steals (2.29 a game).

Otterbein travels to Tiffin to square off against Heidelberg this Saturday while Baldwin-Wallace hosts Muskingum. Tip-off for both is scheduled for 3 p.m.

The Cardinals (5-14), tied for seventh in the conference standings with Baldwin-Wallace at 4-8, bounced back from a disappointing overtime loss to Marietta to defeat Muskingum in overtime on Saturday, 83-79. Ohio Northern (11-8), tied for third in the OAC at 7-5, dropped a league contest to Baldwin-Wallace on Saturday, 82-69.

In a nip-and-tuck game throughout against Muskingum in New Concord, neither team led by more than six points. Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), hit a three-pointer with two seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. The game continued to go back and forth in overtime until Frank Hall, a junior forward from Plain City (Jonathan Alder), snared an offensive rebound and was fouled with 54 seconds left. Hall hit both free throws to give Otterbein a one-point lead and the Cardinals strung four more free throws together to wrap up the game.

Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), led four Cardinals in double figures with 32 points, including four three-pointers, along with eight assists. Wells chipped in 17 points, and Hall and Sean Cross, a junior center from Millersburg (West Holmes), added 10 points apiece. Banaszak, who tallied 56 points and 16 assists over the two overtime games last week, was named OAC “player of the week”.

Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, lost the first matchup of the season against Ohio Northern in Ada, 78-72, Dec. 12. The Polar Bears never trailed in the game and led by as many as 14 points late in the second half. Banaszak led five Cardinals in double figures with 21 points.

Ohio Northern, under third-year head coach Jeff Coleman, fell behind early to Baldwin-Wallace and never regained the lead en route to an 82-69 defeat Saturday in Berea. Five Polar Bears scored in double figures in the losing effort. Kyle Meyer, a sophomore wing from Columbus Grove, notched his second career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Entering the week, Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 20.7 points a game, and free-throw percentage making 65 of 74 attempts for 87.8 percent; and ranked second in steals (2.11 a game), third in assists (5.17 a game), fourth in three-point field-goal percentage (43 of 96, 44.8 percent) and fifth in made three-point field goals (2.39 a game).

Ohio Northern’s Kyle Gehle, a senior wing from Versailles, ranked fourth in the league in scoring (16.8 points a game), third in free-throw percentage (64 of 76 for 84.2 percent) and second in three-point field goals made (2.74 a game).

This Saturday, Otterbein travels to Alliance to square off against the Purple Raiders of Mount Union while Ohio Northern hosts John Carroll. Both games are scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Ross Banaszak, a senior point guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes High School), was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “player of the week” in men’s basketball, the OAC released Monday. This marked the second time this season the senior has earned the honor.

Banaszak scored 56 points, handed out 16 assists and made 18 of 20 free-throw attempts over two games last week. He hit four three-pointers on his way to 32 points in an 83-79 single-overtime win at Muskingum Saturday. Against Marietta, a 96-95 single-overtime loss last Wednesday, Banaszak collected 24 points and eight assists, and made all eight of his free-throw attempts.

Cards Lose Thriller in OT
Written Jan. 30, 2008 by Aurelio Ruiz

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, coming off a victory over John Carroll Saturday, lost an overtime thriller, 96-95, to Marietta Wednesday night in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) action at the Rike Center.

Trailing 80-70 with 5:11 left in the second half, Otterbein went on a 12-2 run thanks to 10 points from Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes High School), to tie the game at 82 with 1:32 left in regulation. With 26 seconds to play, and Marietta up, 85-82, Otterbein’s Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Lakewood), was fouled on a three-point attempt, sending him to the foul line for three shots. Wells made all three, tying the game at 85 to send it into overtime.

Otterbein scored the first five points in overtime, all by Wells—a three-pointer and two free throws—to take a 90-85 lead with 4:04 remaining. Marietta mounted a 10-3 run to regain the lead, 95-93, with 41 seconds to play. Banaszak sank two free throws to tie the game at 95 with 29 seconds left on the clock. Marietta’s Adam Rockhold, a senior forward from Olmstead Falls, drove the lane and was fouled with three second to play. After missing his first free-throw attempt, Rockhold made the second to put Marietta up by one. Otterbein’s Sean Cross, a junior center from Millersburg (West Holmes), just missed a short jumper as time expired.

Both teams shot well from the field. Marietta shot 50.8 percent (33 of 65) for the game, including 42.9 percent (12 of 28) from three-point range. The Cardinals shot 49.2 percent (32 of 65) from the field and 36.0 percent (9 of 25) from beyond the three-point line. Otterbein made 22 of 24 free-throw attempts for 91.7 percent.

Wells led Otterbein in scoring with 26 points, including a perfect 9-for-9 performance at the free-throw line. Banaszak added 24 points and a game-high eight assists while Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, scored 21 points, including 6 of 7 from beyond the three-point arc.

Jordan Cox, a freshman guard from West Union, led Marietta with 21 points. Daun Lutes, a junior forward from New Matamoras, and Isaiah Creasap, a junior guard from Wooster, each scored 16.

OAC Names Wells Player of the Week
Written Jan. 29, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood High School), was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “player of the week” in men’s basketball, the OAC released Monday.

Wells led four Cardinals in double figures with 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, including 6 of 10 from three-point land, in a 98-73 win over John Carroll last Saturday in Westerville. Otterbein made 18 three-point baskets in the win to set a school single-game record.

The senior guard started Otterbein’s three-point barrage, hitting back-to-back three-pointers to open the game and scoring 11 of the team’s first 16 points.

Cards to Host Marietta
Written Jan. 29, 2008 by Steve Cawley

WESTERVILLE, OHIO--Otterbein hosts the Pioneers of Marietta, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.

The Cardinals, 4-13 overall and 3-7 in the OAC (eighth), broke a four-game losing streak in a big way by setting a new single-game record for three-point field goals made in a game, 18, in a 98-73 victory over John Carroll Saturday night at the Rike Center. Marietta, 5-12 overall and 1-9 in the OAC (10th), dropped its second in a row by losing to Ohio Northern Saturday, 80-56.

The three-pointer was the main weapon for Otterbein Saturday night as seven different Cardinals hit a three-ball. Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), started the barrage by hitting back-to-back three-pointers to open the game and scoring 11 of the team’s first 16 points as the Cardinals went on a 16-6 run in the first six and half minutes of the game and never trailed in the contest. Wells was selected OAC “player of the week”.

Wells led four Cardinals in double figures with 27 points on 10-of -16 shooting from the field, including 6 of 10 from three-point land. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), contributed 22 points, including four three-pointers, and dished out six assists. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), chipped in 12 points and Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London (London), added 10 points and six assists.

Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, won the first matchup of the season against Marietta at Fenton Court in Marietta, 71-61. Wells hit a pair of free throws to put the Cardinals up eight with 1:17 to play in the game and then Banaszak converted a steal and lay-up to seal the victory for the Cardinals. Banaszak led a balanced Cardinal attack with 18 points.

The Pioneers, under first-year head coach Jon VanderWal, fell behind by 10 points early to Ohio Northern and couldn’t overcome the deficit, eventually trailing by as many as 27 points. Isaiah Creasap, a junior guard from Wooster (Northwestern), paced Marietta with 13 points.

Entering the week, Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 19.8 points a game, and free-throw percentage, making 47 of 54 attempts for 87.0 percent; and ranked second in steals (2.06 a game), fourth in assists (4.81 a game), eighth in three-point field-goal percentage (37 of 84, 44.0 percent) and sixth in three-point field goals made (2.31 a game).

Ratai ranked fourth in the league in field-goal percentage, making 67 of 111 shots for 60.4 percent; and 10th in free-throw percentage, making 41 of 54 attempts for 75.9 percent.

Creasap led the conference in three-point field goals made (3.14 a game); and ranked seventh in scoring (14.6 points a game), seventh in free-throw percentage (31 of 40 for 77.5 percent) and 10th in three-point field-goal percentage (44 of 108 for 40.7 percent). Adam Rockhold, a senior center from Olmsted Falls (Olmsted Falls), led the OAC in rebounding, averaging 10.8 a game.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein Cardinals used the three-point shot to jump out to a quick lead against John Carroll and cruised to a 98-73 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) victory on Saturday at the Rike Center.

In the process, the Cardinals set a new school single-game record for three-point field goals made in a game with 18 as seven different Cardinals hit a three-point field goal. The previous single-game record of 13 was set against Fontbonne in the 2003-04 season.

Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), started the three-point barrage hitting back-to-back three-pointers to open the game and scoring 11 of the team’s first 16 points as the Cardinals went on a 16-6 run in the first six and half minutes of the game and never trailed in the contest.

Otterbein continued the torrid start after John Carroll cut the lead to six, 16-10, at the 12:50 mark as they proceeded to finish the first half on a 41-16 run. The Cardinals splintered the nets by making 20 of 27 shots from the field for 74.1 percent, including 7 of 10 from behind the three-point line. Wells ended up 4 of 5 from behind the arc and led the Cardinals with 19 first-half points.

The lead grew to as many as 39 with 12:34 left in the second half when Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London (London), hit his second three-ball of the night.

Wells led four Cardinals in double figures with 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, including 6 of 10 from three-point land. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), contributed 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including four three-pointers, and dished out six assists. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), chipped in 12 points and Pollock added 10 points and six assists.

Terry Walsh, a senior forward from Lakewood (Cleveland St. Ignatius), led John Carroll with 27 points going 9 of 15 from the field and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line.

Otterbein moves to 4-13 overall and 3-7 in the OAC with the victory. John Carroll falls to 9-7 overall and 6-4 in the OAC.

Cards Host John Carroll as OAC Play Enters 2nd Round
Written Jan. 25, 2008 by Steve Cawley

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein hosts the Blue Streaks of John Carroll in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) contest, 7:30 p.m., Saturday in the Rike Center.

The Cardinals suffered their fourth-consecutive OAC loss, 86-57, Saturday afternoon to then 13th-ranked Capital at the Cap Center. John Carroll scored 20 of the game’s final 30 points to escape New Concord with a 73-66 victory over host Muskingum Wednesday evening.

Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, carries a 3-13 overall record and a 2-7 league record into the game. The Cardinals sit in a tie for ninth in the conference standings. John Carroll carries a four-game conference winning streak into the contest and sits in third place in the OAC at 6-3, 9-6 overall.

John Carroll won the first matchup of the season, 85-71, against the Cardinals in University Heights on Dec. 1. The Blue Streaks went on a 14-6 run to open the game and led the entire way. Otterbein cut the lead to one on a pair of free throws by Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), midway through the second half, but could never get over the hump. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), did not play in the game. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), led Otterbein with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Last Saturday, Capital opened the game by scoring 17 unanswered points as Otterbein did not score in the first nine minutes of the game. Ray Welch, a freshman guard from Lewis Center (Olentangy), hit a three-pointer to put the Cardinals on the scoreboard with 10:45 remaining in the first half. Banaszak led Otterbein with 20 points.

John Carroll, under 16th-year head coach Mike Moran, used an 8-0 run that started with 4:25 remaining in the game to take the lead for good, 61-56, against Muskingum Wednesday. Derek Smith, a senior center from Lisbon (Beaver Local), scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds to pace the Blue Streaks.

At midweek, Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 19.6 points a game, and free-throw percentage, making 43 of 50 attempts for 86.0 percent; and ranked second in steals (2.07 a game), fourth in assists (4.73 a game), eighth in three-point field-goal percentage (33 of 78, 42.3 percent) and seventh in three-pointers made (2.20 a game).

Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London (London), ranked fourth in free-throw percentage, making 30 of 36 attempts for 83.3 percent.

John Carroll’s Terry Walsh, a senior forward from Lakewood (Cleveland St. Ignatius), ranked second in scoring, averaging 17.5 points a game, and led the league in field-goal percentage, making 57 of 85 shots from the field for 67.1 percent. Walsh also ranked sixth in rebounding (7.0 a game), seventh in assists (3.20 a game) and eighth in free-throw percentage (62 of 78 for 79.5 percent).

13th-Ranked Crusaders Turn Back Cardinals
Written Jan. 19, 2008 by Aurelio Ruiz

COLUMBUS, OHIO—The Otterbein Cardinals suffered their fourth-consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) loss, 86-57, Saturday afternoon to 13-th ranked Capital at the Cap Center.

Capital opened the game by scoring 17 unanswered points. Otterbein did not score in the first nine minutes of the game. Ray Welch, a freshman guard from Lewis Center (Olentangy), hit a three-pointer to put Otterbein on the scoreboard with 10:45 remaining in the first-half. The Crusaders would eventually build a 31-point lead, taking advantage of Otterbein turnovers. At the end of the first period, Capital led 44-12.

The second-half saw much of the same, as the Cardinals, who shot only 29.7 percent from the floor, could not find a way to stop the balanced scoring attack of Capital. Despite just 12 points in the first half, the Cardinals rebounded with 45 points in the second half, but the Capital lead proved to be too much.

Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), led the Cardinals with 20 points and was perfect from the free-throw line, making all five of his attempts. Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), added 17 points.

D.J. Frazier, a freshman guard from Cincinnati (Withrow), led the Crusaders with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor. Steve Kyser, a senior post from Sylvania (Southview), chipped in 11 rebounds.

With the loss, the Cardinals fall to 3-13 overall and 2-7 in the OAC. The win moves Capital to 13-2 overall and 8-0 in the OAC.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein Cardinals suffered their third-straight Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) loss, 79-65, to Wilmington College Wednesday night at the Rike Center.

After an 8-0 Wilmington run to open the game, the Cardinals trailed, 24-12, with 8:46 to play in the first half. The Cardinals then mounted a 13-2 run, which was capped off with a three-pointer by Adam Wells, a senior from Newark (Lakewood), making the score 26-25. Antonio Crowe, a sophomore from Fostoria, added a fast-break dunk during the late first-half run. Wilmington led at the break 30-27.

To start the second half, Wells hit a three-pointer, his fourth of the game, to tie the score at 30. The Cardinals battled and eventually took their first lead on a three-pointer by Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, with 16:01 to play in the game, making the score 37-36. The Quakers scored the next eight points to take the lead for good.

Pollock led the Cardinals with 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting, making four three-pointers. Ross Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), added 15 points, while Wells chipped in 14. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), contributed 10 points and pulled down eight boards.

Wilmington’s scoring was led by Brandon Rogers, a sophomore forward from Xenia. Rogers shot 7 of 10 from the floor on his way to 20 points, and collected 10 rebounds. Justin Gains, a junior guard from Cincinnati, and Kerry Wilkinson, a junior guard from Wilmington, each scored 13 points. Gains also dished out five assists.

With the loss, the Cardinals fall to 3-12 overall and 2-6 in the OAC. The win moves Wilmington to 10-5 overall and 5-3 in the OAC.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein welcomes the Wilmington Quakers to the Rike Center, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.

Both squads come into the game off of OAC losses and searching for a conference victory--the Cardinals dropping a league game to Heidelberg, 82-72, Saturday while Wilmington lost at Mount Union, 63-59.

Otterbein, under 36th-year head coach Dick Reynolds and sitting eighth in the conference standings, carries a 3-11 overall record and a 2-5 league record into the contest. Wilmington, loser of two straight conference games, sits fifth in the league at 4-3 and 9-5 overall.

The game presents an intriguing matchup of contrasting styles of play as Otterbein sits third in the league in scoring offense (80.1 points a game) while Wilmington leads the league in scoring defense (65.5 points a game).

Against Heidelberg, the Cardinals trailed from the start as Heidelberg jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never looked back, leading by as many as 23 points early in the second half. Otterbein cut into the lead late in the second half, but could never narrow the margin below 10. Otterbein’s Ross Banaszak, a senior point guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), hit 4 of 6 three-point shots and led the Cardinals with 19 points. He also snared eight rebounds and dished out three assists.

Otterbein also received double-figure marks from Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, 12, and Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Hebron Lakewood), 11. Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), shared the rebounding lead with Banaszak with eight.

Wilmington, under first-year head coach K.C. Hunt, squandered a nine-point lead in the closing minutes against Mount Union on Saturday, being outscored 18-5 in the final 5:37. They led 54-45 when Scott Walters, a senior forward from Mentor (Perry), hit a free throw with 5:37 to play.

Brandon Rogers, a sophomore forward from Xenia, paced the Quakers with 16 points.

Coming into the week, Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 19.9 points a game, and free-throw percentage, making 36 of 43 attempts for 83.7 percent; and ranked second in steals (2.38 a game), fourth in assists (5.08 a game), seventh in three-point field-goal percentage (31 of 70, 44.3 percent), and tied for fifth in three-point field goals made (2.38 a game).

Ray Welch, a freshman guard from Lewis Center (Olentangy), led the league in three-point field-goal percentage, making 11 of 17 for 64.7 percent.

Wilmington’s Fred Harrison, a senior guard from Cleveland (Cleveland East), ranked fourth in the OAC in steals (2.07 a game), and third in blocks (1.86 a game).

The Cardinals swept the season series with Wilmington in 2006-07, including a three-point victory on the Quakers home floor.

On Saturday, Otterbein travels to face its cross-town rival Capital. The Cardinals and Crusaders faced each other three times in 2006-07. They split the regular-season matchup while Capital knocked Otterbein out of the OAC Tournament in the semifinals. Wilmington travels to John Carroll Saturday.

Cards Fall to Heidelberg in the Rike
Written Jan. 12, 2008 by Aurelio Ruiz

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein Cardinals, led by 19 points from Ross Banaszak, lost their second straight Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) game, falling to Heidelberg, 82-72, Saturday evening in the Rike Center.

The Student Princes opened the game with an 8-0 run and would eventually take a 45-28 lead into halftime. The balanced scoring attack of Heidelberg—four players scoring in double digits—continued into the second half as they would lead by as many 21 points with 16:28 to play in the game. The Cardinals would begin to gain ground on Heidelberg, but could come no closer than within the 10-point margin at the end of the game.

The Cardinals were led by Banaszak, a senior guard from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), who collected 19 points and eight rebounds. Brian Pollock, a sophomore guard from London, and Adam Wells, a senior guard from Newark (Lakewood), contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Heidelberg’s Brian Schmidt, a senior center from Hinckley, scored 24 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the floor and had seven rebounds. Andrew Lemmon, a senior guard from Port Clinton, hit 8 of 12 shots from the floor on his way to 17 points and a game-high 19 rebounds. Greg Tyson, a senior guard from Lima, came off the bench to contribute 19 points.

With the loss, the Cardinals fall to 3-11 overall and 2-5 in the OAC. The win moves Heidelberg, 11-2 overall and 5-1 in the OAC, into a tie for second place in the OAC.

Cards to Host Heidelberg in OAC contest
Written Jan. 10, 2008 by Steve Cawley

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein hosts the Student Princes of Heidelberg in Saturday's Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.

The two teams come into Saturday’s play on opposite sides of the spectrum. The Cardinals enter tonight’s game coming off a tough road loss at Baldwin-Wallace losing 93-87 in overtime, while Heidelberg defeated John Carroll 104-72 at home.

Otterbein, sitting in eighth place (2-4) in the OAC under 36^th-year head coach Dick Reynolds, carry a 3-10 overall record into tonight’s contest. Heidelberg, winner of three straight conference games, sits in third place in the league with a 4-1 record and stand 10-2 overall.

Saturday’s contest features two of the top three scoring teams in the league. The Student Princes lead the league in scoring offense average 83.4 points a game. Otterbein holds down the third spot at 80.7 points a contest.

The Cardinals led by 12 over Baldwin-Wallace at halftime Wednesday night, but could not hold on as the Yellow Jackets put together a 21-11 run in the final 10:27 to send the game to overtime. Otterbein scored the first two points of overtime, but Baldwin-Wallace grabbed the lead for good with 2:32 left. Otterbein’s Ross Banaszak, a senior point guard from Delaware (Hayes High School), hit 8 of 14 shots from the field to post a team high 21 points.

Ray Welch, a freshman guard from Lewis Center (Olentangy), came off the bench to score a career high 17 points as he hit 5 of 7 from three-point range. Alan Kavanaugh, a freshman forward from Dayton (Centerville), chipped in 12 points and grabbed a team high nine rebounds – both career highs.

Heidelberg, under 7^th-year head coach Duane Sheldon, went on a 24-7 run with 9:56 to play in the first half, and led 51-27 at the break over John Carroll on Wednesday. Andrew Lemmon, a senior guard from Port Clinton (Port Clinton), led Heidelberg with a double, double - 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Entering Saturday’s conference play, Otterbein’s Banaszak led the OAC in scoring, averaging 20.0 points a game, and free throw percentage making 35 of 40 attempts for 87.5 percent; and ranked second in steals (2.5 a game), third in assists (5.25 a game), eighth in three-point field percentage (27 of 64, 42.2 percent) and tied for sixth in three-point field goals made (2.25 a game).

Cory Ratai, a sophomore forward from Johnstown (Johnstown-Monroe), ranked third in the OAC in field goal percentage making 59 of 93 shots for 63.4 percent, and 10^th in rebounding, averaging 5.8 a game.

Heidelberg’s Chad Szalay, a junior guard from Lorain (Clearview), ranked 10^th in the league in scoring (14.2 points a game), third in steals (2.42 a game), fifth in free throw percentage (31 of 37 for 83.8 percent) and tied for sixth in three-point field goals made (2.25 a game). Lemmon ranked second in rebounding (8.8 a game) and ninth in three-point field goal percentage (21 of 51 for 41.2 percent).

Otterbein and Heidelberg split the season series in 2006-07, each winning on the road.

Next up for Otterbein – Wilmington visits the Rike Center on Wednesday, Jan. 16.