TIFFIN, Ohio—Junior second-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference guard Dane Givner (Pittsburgh, Pa./Harvest Prep) poured in a career-high 36 points and made several key free throws, but the Heidelberg University men's basketball team fell to the University of Mount Union, 91-89, in overtime today in a league contest at Seiberling Gymnasium in Tiffin, Ohio. Heidelberg's loss and Muskingum University's loss at Capital University earlier today means Otterbein University must lose tonight to Wilmington College for Heidelberg to earn a berth in the OAC tournament.
Givner shot 12-of-18 from the field and 10-of-11 from the free throw line, pulled down five rebounds and passed for a game-high six assists for Heidelberg (7-17, 5-12 OAC). Junior honorable mention All-OAC forward Nate Davis (Dayton/Stivers) came off the bench to record 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, his seventh double-double of the season. Sophomore forward Victor Fortkamp (St. Henry) also scored 14.
Mount Union (10-14, 6-11 OAC) was led by Jimmy Wood, who scored a game-high 39 points on 14-of-23 shooting and hit a three-pointer to send the game into overtime. Justen Little scored 15 points of his own, Stevie Griffin added 13, Nate Jacubec tallied 11 and T.J. Gillespie came off the bench with 10.
Heidelberg opened the game on an 11-5 run and extended its lead to 18-7 following a 7-2 jaunt, capped with a Givner jumper at the 10:57 mark.
Mount Union kept pace over the next few minutes, but the Student Princes put together a 10-2 run and built a 37-20 lead at the 4:17 mark as Davis made a lay-up.
Following a timeout, Little, Gillespie and Wood each canned three-pointers on consecutive possessions and the Purple Raiders closed to within 37-29 with just under to minutes to play in the opening frame.
An offensive rebound and dunk by Davis at the buzzer sent the Berg into the break with a 41-31 edge.
The Purple Raiders opened the second on a 9-6 run and closed the gap to 47-40 following a three-point by Wood at the 16:36 mark.
Heidelberg went back up by 11 points, 53-49, but Mount Union scored seven straight points and cut the deficit to 53-49 when Stevie Griffin knocked down a triple with 12:20 on the clock.
A three-pointer by junior guard Quintin Aden (Canal Winchester/Harvest Prep) at 10:54 put the Berg up, 56-49, but the Purple Raiders countered with a 7-2 run and closed to within 58-56 at 8:17 when T.J. Gillespie made a fast break lay-up.
After a jumper by Fortkamp put Heidelberg ahead, 60-56, Little canned a jumper of his own and Wood made one of two free throws at the 6:12 mark to close the gap to 60-59.
The Berg would lead again by as many as five points on two separate occasions, with the last coming at the 2:02 mark when Givner made a lay-up and converted a three-point play for a 74-69 advantage.
Wood then scored four straight points to close back to 74-73 with just over a minute to play.
Givner made four more free throws down the stretch, giving the Student Princes a 78-75 lead with 31 seconds to play.
After a Heidelberg timeout, Wood made a three-pointer with 17 seconds on the clock to knot the score 78-78 and send the game into overtime.
In overtime, Mount Union jumped out to an 81-78 lead thanks to a trey by Little, but a free throw from Givner and a jumper by Davis tied the score, 81-81. Heidelberg took a brief 85-82 lead at the 2:39 mark when Givner made a jumper, but another Wood triple tied the score, 85-85.
After two more ties, Jacubec's floater in the paint with seven seconds to go capped the comeback.
Both teams shot 54.1 (33-of-61) percent from the field. Heidelberg also shot a season-high 88.9 (16-of-18) percent from the charity stripe and held a 35-26 advantage on the glass.
Mount Union shot 61.7 (21-of-34)) percent after halftime and 42.3 (11-of-26) percent from beyond the arc and committed just two turnovers.
Prior to the game, Heidelberg recognized its five seniors, playing in their last home game: guards Pat Barrett (Lakewood/Senior) and Darion Capers (Clayton/Trotwood-Madison), forward Paul Dunn (Mohawk), guard Casey Kaufman (Sugarcreek/Hiland) and forward Zane Wildermuth (Botkins).
Heidelberg will wait to find out if it will make the 2012 OAC Men's Basketball Tournament.