ADA, Ohio — No. 8 ranked Marietta College maintained its one-game lead in the Ohio Athletic Conference standings with a 78-55 win at Ohio Northern University Saturday (Jan. 18) afternoon. The Pioneers are now 14-1 overall and 8-0 in the OAC. Ohio Northern falls to 6-9 on the season and 2-6 in league games.

With one game remaining in the first round of conference games, the Pioneers are atop the OAC standings with a perfect 8-0 mark. Mount Union is a game behind Marietta at 7-1. Marietta plays at Mount Union on Wednesday (Jan. 22). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

"It wasn't our best offensive game today, but defensively we played really well and did a great job controlling the glass," Marietta head coach Jon VanderWal said. "Holding teams to 29% shooting will win you a lot of games. We will need to play well on both ends of the floor at Mount Union on Wednesday."

Buckets from Tim Kreeger and Mason Lydic gave Marietta an early 4-0 lead. The Pioneers never trailed in the game as Ohio Northern tried to keep pace with a barrage of three-pointers. However, the Polar Bears converted just 10-of-37 shots from behind the arc and never really challenged the Navy Blue and White.

Despite not having a great offensive night, Marietta managed to dominate the paint and, as usual, the glass. The Pioneers scored 44 of its 78 points in the paint and finished with a 48-32 advantage on the boards. Marietta didn't allow ONU a single second chance point in the game.

Jason Ellis hit 1-of-2 free throws midway through the first half to give Marietta a 10-point lead, 18-8. The Polar Bears managed to trim the deficit to four points, but the Pioneers were able to extend the lead to eight points at the break.

Three-pointers from Mike Hall, Caleb Hoyng, Jake Montgomery, Karson Snyder and Christian James helped push the Marietta lead to as many as 25 points. MC's biggest lead was 29 points, 75-46, with 4:36 left on the clock.

James led four Pioneers in double figures with 14 points. He added four assists and five rebounds. Kreeger and Ellis each scored 12 points, while Hoyng added 10 points. Mike Hall added 9 points and 11 rebounds.

Thomas Phillips scored a game-high 15 points on five three-pointers. CJ Napier and Brandon Waugh scored 13 and 11 points, respectively.