SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — No. 19 ranked Marietta College defeated No. 16 Hanover College by the score of 63-53 Friday (Dec. 29) in the first round of the Wittenberg Kiwanis Holiday Classic. The Pioneers improve to 8-2 on the season, while the Panthers slip to 7-3 overall.

In a game dominated by defense, neither team was able to pull away from the other. The game featured nine ties and 12 lead changes as Hanover's largest lead of the night was just three points.

Marietta held the Panthers scoreless for a seven minute stretch in the second half turning a one-point deficit into and eight point lead, 52-44, with 7:25 left in the game. The Pioneers held Hanover to its lowest point total of the season.

"We didn't shoot the ball very well tonight," Marietta head coach Jon VanderWal said. "But I thought our guys really defended well and we were able to gut out the win."

The Pioneers extended their lead to as many as 11 points in the final five minutes. Senior Dillon Young hit 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch to secure the victory for Marietta.

Young led the Pioneers with 12 points. He also grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists. Caleb Hoyng came off the bench to score 11 points and pulled down seven boards, while Anthony Wallace finished with 10 points.

Avery Williams and DeVaughn Wingard scored nine points apiece. Williams had a team-best eight rebounds and Wingard blocked three Hanover shots.

Wes McKinney led the Panthers with 15 points and 14 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Kevin Williams added 10 points and Levi Buck finished with nine.

For the game, Marietta shot 39.3% (22-of-56) from the floor, 12.5% (2-of-16) from three-point range and 68.0% (17-of-25) at the free throw line. The Panthers were 18-of-50 (36.0%) from the floor, 5-of-18 (27.8%) behind the arc and 12-of-18 (66.7%) at the line.

The Pioneers edged Hanover on the glass, 37-33. The Panthers committed 18 turnovers that led to 18 Marietta points. MC turned the ball over 11 times.

Marietta wraps up play in the Wittenberg Kiwanis Holiday Classic on Saturday (Dec. 30) with a 7 p.m. game against Wittenberg, who improved to 10-0 with a 95-46 win over Ohio University Chillicothe on Friday.