DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — No. 2 ranked Whitman College scored the final four points of the game to beat No. 4 Marietta College 72-71 Thursday (Dec. 22) evening in the Daytona Beach Shootout. Whitman improves to 9-0 on the season, while the Pioneers slip to 8-3 overall.

Trailing by four points, 68-64, in the final three minutes of the game, Marietta took advantage of three straight Whitman turnovers to build a three point lead, 71-68, with 1:03 left on the clock.

Keith Richardson cut the deficit to two points with a steal and a layup. Dillon Young then stole the ball on Whitman's next possession and drained a three-pointer to put MC ahead by one. The Blues were called for offensive foul on the next possession and Richardson hit a jumper at the other end to make it 71-68.

Austin Butler ended Whitman's scoring drought with a layup just before the shot clock expired cutting the Pioneer lead to one, 71-70, with 34 seconds left on the clock. Butler was fouled on the play but missed the free throw and a chance to even the score.

Butler made up for the missed free throw by stealing the ball on Marietta's next possession and scoring another layup to put the Blues on top 72-71 with 25 seconds on the clock.

Following a Pioneer timeout, Richardson's jumper was off the mark and Whitman got the rebound. Marietta was forced to foul and put JoJo Wiggins on the line for the Blues. Wiggins missed the front end of the 1-and-1.

A.J. Edwards grabbed the rebound for Marietta. With time running out, the Pioneers last second half-court attempt was off the mark as the buzzer sounded.

Edwards and Kyle Dixon each recorded double-doubles for the Pioneers. Dixon led all players with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Edwards finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Richardson chipped in with 16 points and four steals.

Butler and Joey Hewitt each had 14 points for the Blues. Hewitt notched the double-double with 10 boards. Wiggins and Tim Howell finished with 12 points each.

For the game, Marietta shot 42.6% (29-of-68) from the floor, 33.3% (7-of-21) from three-point range and 46.2% (6-of-13) at the free throw line. Whitman was 28-of-68 (41.2%) from the floor, 10-of-27 (37.0%) behind the arc and 6-of-12 (50.0%) at the line.

The Pioneers edged Whitman on the glass, 45-42. Marietta turned the ball over 18 times, while the Blues committed 19 turnovers.

After the holiday break Marietta jumps back into Ohio Athletic Conference play with a pair of road games. The Pioneers play at rival Muskingum University on Wednesday (Jan. 4th) at 7 p.m. and at Ohio Northern University on Saturday (Jan. 7th) at 3 p.m.