Marietta College put on a sharpshooter's clinic.
The Pioneers drained 18 three-pointers en route to a 90-62 triumph over Otterbein University in an Ohio Athletic Conference men's basketball opener at Ban Johnson Arena Saturday.
"When we're in our rhythm of offense, we move the ball pretty well, and we play pretty good as a team," said MC sophomore Brennan McKean, who scored a game-high 15 points on five treys - coming off the bench. "When one guy isn't hitting, another guy usually picks up the slack."
Article Photos
Photo courtesy of Darla Waterwash
Marietta College’s J.J. Martin battles Otterbein’s Zach Bakenhaster (52) for the ball during Ohio Conference men’s basketball action at Ban Johnson Arena Saturday. The Pioneers won 90-62. MC’s Tyler Hammond is No. 15, and Otterbein’s Matt McCollister is No. 4.
From behind the arc, Marietta (3-2 overall, 1-0 OAC) was 18 of 31 (58.1 percent). The Pioneers were one made three shy of equaling the school record set on four other occasions.
Overall, eight MC players, including McKean, hit a least one three. Tyler Worstell made three for nine points; Scott Kimmey, J.J. Martin, A.J. Ireland, and Luis Garcia each had two; and A.J. Davis and Garrett Stephenson had one apiece.
Stephenson, a 6-foot-7 sophomore pivot, finished the contest with 14 points
Fact Box
Marietta 90, Otterbein 62
at Ban Johnson Arena
Otterbein 30 32 - 62
Marietta 46 44 - 90
OTTERBEIN (2-3, 0-1)
Andy Yazrombek 3 1-4 8, Matt McCollister 4 0-0 10, Colin Echelberry 4 2-2 13, Max Van Meter 4 3-3 11, Zach Bakenhaster 0 2-2 2, Jason Davis 0 0-0 0, Derek Dicke 0 0-0 0, Tommy Waterwash 1 0-0 2, Michael Tighe 1 0-1 2, Jon Juergens 1 0-0 2, C.J. Julian 3 0-0 8,Pearson Huggins 0 0-0 0, Kiley Gessner 0 0-0 0, Kiley Gessner 0 0-0 0, Kenny Bolyard 1 1-1 3, John Finnegan 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 22 10-15 62. 3pt goals: Yazrombek 1, McCollister 2, Echelberry 3, Julian 2.
MARIETTA (3-2, 1-0)
Tyler Worstell 3 0 0-0 9, Scott Kimmey 2 2-4 8, Tyler Hammond 2 0-0 4, J.J. Martin 3 0-0 8, Jason Humphrey 2 3-5 7, A.J. Davis 1 0-0 3, James Crawford 0 0-0 0, Brennan McKean 5 0-0 15, Jaocb Owens 1 0-0 2, A.J. Ireland 2 0-0 6, Luis Garcia 2 0-0 6, Tyler Thomas 0 0-0 0, Andy Stegman 0 0-0 0, Matt Napier 4 0-1 8, Eddy Grenert 0 0-0 0, Garrett Stephenson 5 3-4 14. TOTALS: 32 8-14 90. 3pt goals: McKean 5, Worstell 3, Kimmey 2, Martin 2, Davis 1, Ireland 2, Garcia 2, Stephenson 1.
Team stats
Shooting: O 22-54 (40.7 percent), M 32-61 (52.5 percent); Rebounds: O 35 (Bolyard 8), M 33 (Humphrey 10); Assists: O 8 (Bakenhaster 3), M 18 (Worstell 6); Steals: O 7, M 9 (Martin 4); Turnovers: O 21, M 13
Next game: Denison at Marietta at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
"We want to play fast and we want to play uptempo," said sixth-year Marietta head coach Jon VanderWal. "That's our style. We've got a lot of guys who can shoot threes - but I want to take good threes. I want to take wide open threes. Hopefully, our transition game, the pace in which we play, leads to good hands and feet set shots for threes.
"Now, I think we rely a little too much on the three. I think we've got to have more of a low post presence if we're going to beat really good teams."
Actually, non-starters' Matt Napier and Stephenson hurt Otterbein in the paint with some baby hooks. And, 6-6 starter Jason Humphrey was a force underneath, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with seven markers.
Marietta's bench also produced 54 points. And, 12 of the 16 Pioneers who saw action scored.
Todd Adrian-coached Otterbein (2-3, 0-1) was paced by Colin Echelberry, who tallied 13 points. Max Van Meter added 11 and Matt McCollister chipped in with 10. The Cardinals as a team were a modest eight of 23 from three-point land.
The game started off close until Kimmey and Martin hit back-to-back threes to make it 11-6 Marietta. After an Otterbein timeout, Stephenson made a bankshot to extend the Pioneer advantage to seven points.
After a three by Andy Yazrombek, McKean knocked one down in kind and teammate Tyler Hammond scored on a drive to make it 18-9.
Then Garcia hit a three, and Worstell drained two consecutive treys to give the Pioneers a 15-point cushion (30-15).
Before the first half was over, Marietta's lead bulged to 18 points on two freebies by Stephenson at the 6:21 mark.
At the break, MC led 46-30.
After the intermission, the rout resumed, and Marietta's advantage stretched to 20-plus points. Otterbein was simply outgunned.
Capping the three-point parade, Ireland nailed two in a minute's playing time, and Davis also dialed long distance for the final margin of victory.
"We're coming along," VanderWal said.
"We've got a lot of new guys and a lot of new roles. We're still trying to figure out how this engine's going to work. But today was encouraging."
Marietta is scheduled to host Denison in a non-conference game at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
