The Otterbein University men’s basketball team hosted Baldwin Wallace University at home on Saturday night, leaving the Cardinals to fall to the Yellow Jackets with a final score of 74-70.
With 10 lead changes in the first half, it was back and forth action between the Cardinals and the Yellow Jackets, with Otterbein having the lead, 35-34, at half. Both teams committed four turnovers and had 18 rebounds. Sophomore guard Jake Bischoff led the Cardinals with 11 points at the half.
With junior forward Marshall Crum receiving an injury within the first few minutes of the second half, the Cardinals struggled to keep up with a Yellow Jackets 11-0 run.
Redshirt freshman Matt Rhodes scored 20 points in the second half and helped to close the gap, but Otterbein couldn’t pull ahead, resulting in a Baldwin Wallace win.
“It was one of those games you look back and think, ‘what if’,” said Todd Adrian, Otterbein head coach. “I was really proud of the way we fought when we were down and came back to execute some things.”
Rhodes’ 20 points led all Otterbein scorers, with junior guard Andy Yazrombek finishing with 10 rebounds. Crum suffered a broken jaw and will be undergoing surgery this week.
Being a young team for the Cardinals, Adrian said he has seen improvement in his players.
“I’m really proud, a month ago I am calling plays and they are looking at me like ‘That’s hieroglyphics, I don’t know what you’re saying’,” Adrian said. “The game has finally slowed down for us.”
Otterbein is traveling to Ohio Northern University to face the Polar Bears Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m.
