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Salem

About the 2002 Division III
men's basketball tournament

Otterbein 121, Bethany 98
WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Otterbein's offense clicked on all cylinders in the Rike Center on Saturday night, as the Cardinals rolled to a 121-98 victory against Bethany in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

After Keith Schubert opened the game with a 3 for Bethany, Otterbein reeled off a 17-2 run to take a lead they would not relinquish. Robert Mock, making just his fourth start of the season, tallied eight of Otterbein's first ten points to ignite the Cardinals' offense.

Mo Ross collected 10 first half points, including eight straight Otterbein points in one stretch, in just 12 minutes off the bench in the first half.

The Cardinals shot 61% from the floor and connected on 13 of 20 free throws in cruising to a 60-40 halftime lead.

With 14:13 remaining, Otterbein led 77-50, and Bethany had three players on the floor with four fouls. Then the tide began to change. Over the next nine minutes, Bethany outscored the Cardinals 37-16 to cut the deficit to six, 93-87, with five minutes remaining. Schubert, who had picked up his fourth foul with 2:29 remaining in the first half, buried three-pointers four straight trips down the court to carry the Bison.

After having the lead cut to six for the second time, Otterbein outscored Bethany 10-0 in a 56 second span to take a 105-89 lead with 3:28 left. Otterbein's Kyle Walton was the victim of a BC intentional foul at the 4:24 mark. He hit both free throws, assisted Jeff Gibbs's layin on the ensuing inbounds pass, then stole a Bethany pass and converted two more free throws. A pair of Kevin Shay foul shots completed the spurt.

Walton served as a spark plug for the Cardinals all night. Immediately after entering the game in the first half, Walton darted in from the perimeter to rebound a missed Gibbs free throw and converted the lay-in. Seventeen seconds later, he collected a steal and breakaway basket to cap OC's 17-2 first half run. Walton finished with 11 points in just seven minutes of action.

Otterbein, scoring at will in the paint, converted 42 of 66 field goals on the night, 64 percent. The Cardinals also hit 34 of 46 free throws, including 21 of 26 in the second half. Bethany, frustrated by Otterbein's high-octane offense and tight defense, committed 32 personal fouls, including two technicals and one intentional foul. A total of five Bethany players fouled out of the contest.

Ohio Athletic Conference player of the year Gibbs paced the Cardinals with 33 points on 13-for-15 shooting from the field. He also pulled down 13 rebounds for his 27th double-double this season. He also assumed the Otterbein career rebounding record. Gibbs currently has 1,426 career rebounds. Gibbs also collected four assists and four steals in 29 minutes of work.

Shay also tallied a double-double for the Cards, 15 points and 11 assists. In all, Otterbein placed six players in double figures: Gibbs, Shay, Ross (18), Walton, Tony Borghese (11) and Mock (10).

Schubert, playing his final game for the Bison, poured in 41 points before fouling out with 2:47 remaining. He scored 24 while playing with four fouls in the second half.

Otterbein's 121 points ties a single-game school record. Bethany closes its season at 21-8.

Otterbein, 26-3 (15-0 at home), advances to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.

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