MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College, ranked #24 in the most recent D3Hoops.com Top 25, showed off its NCAA Division III top-rated shooting offense in a 64-54 victory over host University of Mount Union Wednesday (Jan. 5) night in Ohio Athletic Conference men's basketball action at the MAAC. [Box Score]

Fourth year Head Coach Jon VanderWal's first-place Pioneers, who on Tuesday received their first national ranking in 11 years, improved to 13-0 overall and 6-0 in the league. The Purple Raiders fell to 5-8, 3-3 in the OAC.

Marietta entered the game shooting 52.6%, which ranked best among the 403 teams in NCAA Division III. The Pioneers nearly matched that total by hitting 23-of-44 (52.3%) from the floor against the Purple Raiders.

Freshman point guard Tyler Hammond (Cleveland/St. Ignatius) led all scorers with 14 points, while junior wing Trevor Halter (Malvern/Malvern) added 13 points before fouling out with 3:41 left in the game. Junior post Kevin Knab (Lakewood/Lakewood) also contributed 10 points, while fellow sophomore starters Jacob Owens (Mansfield/Mansfield) and Jason Humphrey (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier) had seven and six points, respectively.

Jimmy Wood led Mount Union, which shot 40.4% (19-of-47) from the floor, with 14 points. Dave Pellerite posted the games only double-double. He had 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Matt Wier added 12 points in the loss.

The score was tight for the first 10 minutes of play. A pair of free throws by Hammond broke a 12-12 tie. The Pioneers followed with back-to-back three-pointers by freshman Andrew Seaman (Hillsboro/Peebles ) and Hammond to boost their lead to eight points. Mount Union cut it back down to one possession, 20-18, only for Marietta to answer with a 10-2 run over the next 3:18 to take control by 10 points, 30-20. The Pioneers then entered the break ahead 32-23.

Mount Union trimmed the deficit down to six points, 36-30 and then again 45-39 with 10:13 remaining, but another Hammond shot from long range extended Marietta leads. The Pioneers kept it above a three-possession game the rest of the way and claimed the 64-54 victory.

Mount Union finished with a 29-28 edge on the boards. The Pioneers, however out scored the opposition 30-20 in the paint and 21-13 off turnovers.

Marietta wraps up its season-long, four-game road swing Saturday (Jan. 8) when it visits Heidelberg University (5-7, 3-2 OAC) at 4 p.m.