ADA, Ohio — No. 4-ranked Marietta College easily dispatched Ohio Northern University 97-73 Saturday (Feb. 20) afternoon to close out the regular season. The Pioneers move to 23-2 on the season and 17-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Polar Bears slip to 12-13 overall and 9-9 in the OAC.

Since the OAC moved to an 18-game regular season schedule during the 1989-90 season, no school has gone undefeated in conference play. The Pioneers become the fourth to post a 17-1 conference record joining Ohio Northern (2000-01 and 1992-93) and Otterbein (1991-92).

Marietta rolls into the OAC Tournament on a 15-game winning streak. The top-seeded Pioneers will host #8 seed Wilmington College on Tuesday (Feb. 23) at 7:30 p.m. The semifinals are scheduled for Thursday and the championship game will be Saturday.

A.J. Edwards was a one-man wrecking crew for the Pioneers as the 6-foot-5 post player dominated on both ends of the floor. Edwards poured in a career-high 30 points sinking 11-of-16 from the floor, including a pair of three-pointers. Edwards grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, blocked two shots and had a pair of steals.

Dillon Young scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half draining three trifectas on the day. Luis Garcia chipped in with 12 points and five rebounds, while Eddy Grenert and Anthony Wallace pulled down six boards apiece.

Joey Hurless and Ryan Burns both finished with 10 points and four rebounds for the Polar Bears. Aron Thress kicked in nine points and five rebounds, while Travis Feitshans added seven points and seven boards.

Young set the tone early sinking a three-pointer of Marietta's first possession of the game. ONU answered with an 11-2 run for their only lead of the afternoon. Young notched an old-fashioned three-point play to put the Pioneers back in front for good with 15:16 left in the first half.

The Pioneers steadily pulled away. Six straight free throws in the final minute of the opening period pushed the margin to 14 points, 51-37, at the break. The lead stayed in double figures for the entire second half and ballooned to as many as 34 points on two occasions.

For the game, Marietta shot 47.8% (32-of-67) from the floor, 42.1% (8-of-19) from three-point range and 80.6% (25-of-31) at the free throw line. The Polar Bears were 29-of-68 (42.6%) from the floor, 7-of-24 (29.2%) behind the arc and 8-of-14 (57.1%) at the line.

The Pioneers outrebounded Ohio Northern 50-33. The Polar Bears turned the ball over 12 times, while Marietta committed just nine turnovers.