MARIETTA, Ohio — No. 23 Marietta College shot a sizzling 63% from the floor in the second half to turn a one-point halftime deficit into a 96-78 win over the University of Mount Union Wednesday (Jan. 11) evening. The Pioneers improve to 10-4 overall and 5-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

Mount Union (9-5 overall, 4-3 OAC) hit a couple of early three-pointers and led for most of the first half. Marietta managed to tie the score a couple of times but couldn't grab the lead until late in the half.

After scoring the first basket of the game, Keith Richardson gave the Pioneers the lead, 36-33, with a trey at the 3:15 mark of the first half. The Purple Raiders finished the half with a 6-2 run and led at the break, 39-38.

The two OAC heavyweights traded punches through the first eight minutes of the second as neither team led by more than three points and there were six ties and six lead changes.

A three from Mel Shuler evened the game at 59-59. Anthony Wallace followed with another triple to put the Pioneers in front 62-59, with 12:06 left in the game. Marietta would not relinquish the lead again.

The Pioneers used a 14-4 run to pull away from Mount Union. Richardson scored nine of MC's points in the run as the Pioneers built a 16-point lead, 92-76, with just under two minutes remaining.

Richardson led all scorers with 30 points. He also dished out six assists. Wallace nailed four three-pointers and finished with 22 points. A.J. Edwards notched the double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Shuler chipped in with 10 points.

Andrew Francesconi led Mount Union with 22 points. Nathan Bower-Malone added 11 points, while DeAllen Jackson grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. The Pioneers held Jackson, the OAC's leading scorer averaging 21.2 per game, to just nine points.

For the game, Marietta shot 52.2% (35-of-67) from the floor, 52.2% (12-of-23) from three-point range and 66.7% (14-of-21) from the free throw line. Mount Union was 29-of-65 (44.6%) from the floor, 9-of-27 (33.3%) behind the arc and 11-of-17 (64.7%) at the line.

The Purple Raiders edged Marietta on the glass, 40-36. Mount Union committed 15 turnovers, while the Pioneers turned the ball over nine times.

Marietta hosts Heidelberg University on Saturday (Jan. 14) at 3 p.m.