MARIETTA, Ohio — The No. 25 Marietta College men's basketball team defeated Otterbein University, 87-68, Wednesday (Jan. 24) evening in Ban Johnson Arena. The Pioneers improve to 14-4 overall and 8-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Otterbein falls to 0-18 on the season and 0-11 in conference play.

Kyle Dixon led three Pioneers in double figures with 18 points. Dillon Young scored 17 points and dished out six assists, while Avery Williams finished with 17 points and nine rebounds.

Otterbein's Justin Carter sank six three-pointers and led the Cardinals with 22 points. Corey Howard scored 15 points, while Gabe Watson chipped in with 12 markers. Connor Clark added 11 points and nine boards.

The Pioneers got off to a slow start and trailed 16-14 eight minutes into the game. Marietta used a 16-3 run to turn the two-point deficit into an 11-point lead, 30-19, with five minutes left in the period. A jumper from Williams in the closing seconds of the half extended the margin to 18 points, 43-25.

Carter hit five of his three-pointers in the second half, but it wasn't nearly enough. The closest Otterbein would get in the final period was 11 points.

For the game, Marietta shot 49.3% (34-of-69) from the floor, 30.8% (8-of-26) from three-point range and 78.6% (11-of-14) at the free throw line. The Cardinals were 27-of-60 (45.0%) from the floor, 10-of-19 (52.6%) behind the arc and 4-of-5 (80.0%) at the line.

Marietta outrebounded the Cardinals, 39-31. The Pioneers scored 24 points off of Otterbein turnovers. The Cardinals committed 12 turnovers, while the Pioneers turned the ball over just three times.

Marietta travels to Berea on Saturday (Jan. 27) for a 3 p.m. matchup with Baldwin Wallace University.