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OAC doubleheader: Pioneer men, women open tournament play tonight

TOM PERRY The Marietta Times Marietta College’s Kyle Dixon (21) goes up for a basket during a college men’s basketball game against Ohio Northern Saturday at Ban Johnson Arena.

Marietta College is the place to be tonight for local basketball fans.

The Pioneers, both the men’s and women’s teams, open up Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament action at 6 p.m. at Ban Johnson Arena. The women entertain Capital at 6 followed by the men taking on Heidelberg at 8. Both teams can advance to the conference semifinals Thursday with a win.

The men’s team, ranked eighth nationally in Division III, clinched the top seed in the OAC tourney with a 100-85 win over Ohio Northern Saturday. The women, who finished 15-10 overall and 9-9 in the conference, locked up the No. 4 seed by defeating Muskingum Wednesday.

Led by head coach Kole Vivian, the MC women split with the Crusaders (10-15, 6-12) this season, winning 64-48 at their place and losing 54-51 at the BanJo. The winner would have to travel to undefeated and top-seeded Ohio Northern on Thursday.

Marietta is expected to start Brooke Borich, Amisha Herd, Corrie Burkhardt, Jordanna Rauch and Jenna Andersen, with Jo Herd-Middlebrooks, Shay Lett, Ashley Barker and Marra Woods coming off the bench first. Borich leads the team with 12.2 points per game. Herd is second with 10.2 points per game and leads the squad with 3.1 assists per contest.

Burkhardt adds 9.2 points per game and a team-high 7.6 rebounds a contest.

The Crusaders are led by Colleen Fondessy’s 8.5 points per game.

Capital, guided by veteran head coach Dixie Jeffers, also is expected to start Erin Risner (7.9 ppg), Emily Ondo (7.8 ppg), Elli Wachtman (7.8 ppg) and Annika Wachtman (6.4 ppg).

On the men’s side, Marietta College had little trouble getting past Heidelberg twice this season, earning wins of 94-72 and 103-90.

Heidelberg, coached by former Marietta assistant Andy Bucheit, finished the season 11-14 overall and 7-11 in the OAC to grab the No. 8 seed. The Pioneers went 21-4 and 16-2 and are looking to appear in their fifth OAC championship game in the last seven seasons. VanderWal is 9-5 all-time in OAC Tournament games. Last year, the Pios fell in the title game to John Carroll.

MC usually starts A.J. Edwards (18.9 ppg), Keith Richardson (15.2 ppg), Anthony Wallace (13.5 ppg), Dillon Young (10.8 ppg) and Kyle Dixon (10.1 ppg). RaNeal Ewing (8.6 ppg), Jack Thome (7.3 ppg), Caleb Hoyng and Mel Shuler come off the bench.

Heidelberg is led by Kiere Bennie’s 15.8 points per game. The other starters for the Student Princes likely will be Chris Moxley (13 ppg), Myron Prewitt (11.9 ppg), DeAvery Collins (9.9 ppg) and Mike Mason (6.9 ppg).

The winner will play either Mount Union or Capital Thursday.

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