Two Winning Teams, One Incredible Night in the Rike Center
Posted Feb 27, 2026
Two record-setting teams took to the basketball court on Thursday, Feb. 26, as the Otterbein Cardinals hosted both men’s and women’s Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Semifinals in the Rike Center.
For their part, the men were competing in the OAC Semifinals for the first time since the 2006-07 season and were hitting the court ranked No. 20 in the nation, reaching the 20-win threshold for the first time since the 2003-04 season. The team spent the past five weeks in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll, peaking at 17. This is the first time since the 2004 season the Cardinals have spent time in the national rankings.
The fans had high hopes when the men took to the court against No. 3 seed Ohio Northern University, and the Cardinals did not disappoint, putting on a thrilling game that left fans on the edge of their seats with a thrilling final 53-51 outcome in the final seconds of the game.
“I knew from the beginning that this game was going to be a good one, but the energy was nonstop. It was incredible to be a part of the momentum through every comeback. It was truly amazing how the entire gym came together to support the boys and help get the job done and advance to the OAC Championship,” said cheerleader Eva Joering ’26.
“The game was truly incredible. Being able to be there to cheer on and support the boys is always an honor. We’re so proud of them. They’ve worked hard to deserve that win,” added cheerleader Taylor Gyurko ’26.
Fans were not finished, because next up was the women’s basketball team, taking on No. 3 seed Mount Union.
The women’s team headed into the semifinals with their program’s best record since the 2012-13 season and three All-OAC picks, including OAC Freshman of the Year Cameron Sparks.
The women had an equally exciting match against Mount Union. The Cardinals pulled away in the 4th quarter with 68-58 win.
“The women did amazing! There was a little tension due to a lot of aggressive fouls from the other team — even through that, they kept their heads up. To the last second you can tell the team and the coach care for one another like a family,” said Cordaejah Ridley, treasurer of Otterbein University Student Government.
“Being in the stands for both games was an incredible experience. Getting to cheer on my students and seeing both teams win was a lot of fun,” said Associate Professor Jen Jackson.
Both teams are now competing for OAC Championship titles on Saturday. The men’s team is hosting at home in the Rike Center, while the women are playing at Baldwin-Wallace.
Men’s OAC Basketball Championship: Get tickets and live stats here.
Women’s OAC Basketball Championship: Get tickets and live stats here.
Rike 50th Birthday Celebration
The winning seasons for men’s and women’s basketball are the crown jewels for the Rike, which celebrated 50 years since it was dedicated in May 1975 with a new floor and is receiving new bleachers this spring.
The maple hardwood floor covers 12,200 square feet and has a 61% force reduction, which means that athletes using the floor absorb 39% of the impact, while the floor absorbs the rest of the impact. The new floor replaces the one installed in 1992, which was also maple hardwood, but only had a 40% force reduction. Tony Stalford, the president of The Final Floor, Inc., is part of Rike Center history; he has installed every floor the Rike Center has had, starting when he was a teenager helping to install the center’s first floor.
To celebrate 50 years of the Rike Center and the new upgrades, Otterbein Athletics is inviting alumni, friends, students, and employees to a Rike 50th Birthday Celebration full of family friendly activities like a basketball 3-point shootout, “Take Down a Wrestler” competition, cornhole tournament, and more.
“We are excited to welcome everyone home to the Rike Center to not just walk down memory lane, but to look at the improvements we have made and the plans we have for the future of the facility. The Rike Center continues to serve our student-athletes and create a home for their hard work and successes for 50 years and counting,” said Athletic Director Greg Lott.
The celebrations will also feature the first home game of the Columbus Wizards, a professional basketball team competing in The Basketball League (TBL) that plays at home in the Rike. Its inaugural season with its new league, TBL, will include 12 home games at the Rike Center and 12 road games.