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OAC TWINBILL

BanJo hosting both MC?teams in tourney games tonight

File photo Marietta College’s Dillon Young drives past an opponent during a regular-season Ohio Athletic Conference game. Young and the rest of the Pioneer men open OAC Tournament play following the women’s contest today at Ban Johnson Arena.

Marietta College is scheduled to host an Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament, double-your-pleasure hoops twinbill tonight at Ban Johnson Arena.

Leading off at 6 p.m., the second-seeded MC women ( 21-4 overall, 14-4 OAC) will be facing seventh-seed John Carroll University (8-17, 6-12). Following that contest, the No. 2-seeded Pioneer men (20-5, 14-4) square off against No. 7-seeded Wilmington College (11-13, 7-11).

Both the Marietta women and men are favored to advance in the quarterfinals and IF they do, they’ll have the Fenton homecourt advantage again Thursday in the semis.

If the top-seeded Ohio Northern University women (21-4, 15-3) and No. 1-seeded JCU men (20-5, 14-4) both advance in tourney play, both will host Saturday’s finals.

The MC women, of course, would love to get another crack at ONU, which beat them twice during regular-season competition.

“We’ll be all right with that (traveling to Ada, Ohio, Saturday),” said Marietta women’s coach Kole Vivian after the Pioneers dropped a 93-85 double overtime decision to the No. 21-ranked Polar Bears at the BanJo last Saturday.

But first and foremost on Vivian’s mind is John Carroll.

The Pioneers defeated the Blue Streak women twice, 73-62 and 90-54, during the season.

“There’s a lot good stuff on this stat sheet,” said Vivian after the 36-point rout of JCU on Jan. 20.

Indeed, there were as four Pioneer cagers — Brooke Borich (16 points), Amisha Herd (15), Corrie Burkhardt (15), and Alexis Enochs (12) — scored in double figures. Everyone healthy on the navy blue and white roster saw playing time.

John Carroll had no player score in double digits in that game, but since then it has posted a 4-4 mark, including an upset win against Ohio Northern.

MC is expected to start Jenna Andersen, Shay Lett, Borich, Herd, and Burkhardt, while JCU will probably counter with Chelbi Graham, Sara Sprecher, Kahrin Spear, Nicole Heffington, and Abby Adler.

On the men’s side, Marietta beat Wilmington twice, 100-71 on the Quakers’ court and 80-65 on Senior Day Feb. 10.

MC’s Avery Williams dominated the paint with 15 points and 15 rebounds in the last meeting. Wilmington did not appear to have much of an inside game.

“We had a size advantage,” said Pioneer boss Jon VanderWal after the triumph. “Their post guys were more perimeter guys.”

Marietta, the OAC regular-season co-champion with John Carroll, is expected to start Dillon Young — the OAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week — Kyle Dixon, Mel Shuler, Mike Hall, and Williams.

Wilmington will probably go with Christian Jones, D.J. Iles, Jordan Jones, Andrew Russell, and Nathan Scott.

Tonight’s doubleheader will be treated as a single session; meaning tickets are good for both games. Ban Johnson Arena will not be cleared between games.

The doors will be open at 5 p.m., and there will be no re-admittance to the BanJo.

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