Case Western Reserve University junior forward Cole Frilling went off for 31 points and 15 rebounds, both career-best marks, as the Spartans topped the Otterbein University Cardinals 84-73 on Thursday night to run their winning streak to five-straight games.

The Spartans improved to 5-1 overall with the win, while the loss was the first of the season for the Cardinals, who dropped to 2-1.

Frilling shot 12-of-18 overall, including three-of-six from three-point range, and added a four-of-five effort from the charity stripe, to surpass his previous career high of 30 points, set against NYU on February 2, 2020. The 15 rebounds were four more than his previous career best, set twice during the 2019-20 campaign.

Graduate student guard Mitch Prendergast added 19 points on a four-of-eight shooting effort, including a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line. Graduate student guard Griffin Kornaker dished out a team-high eight assists on Thursday.

Frilling nearly recorded a double-double during the first half alone, recording 16 points and nine rebounds over the first 20 minutes to lead a dominating first period for the Spartans, who carried a 47-36 lead into the break. CWRU grabbed their first lead of the game on a three-pointer by Prendergast that put CWRU ahead 5-4 with 16:36 to play, and the Spartans would not trail for the remainder of the game. With just under five minutes remaining in the half, CWRU went on a 15-2 run, capped off by a three-pointer by sophomore guard Jeremy Callahan that put the team ahead by a game-high 17, 45-28, with 2:08 left in the period, before the Cardinals were able to trim the deficit to 11 by halftime.

After ending the first half on a 6-0 run, the Cardinals rallied off the first seven points of the second half to cut the Spartans' lead to 47-43 by the 17:30 mark in the frame. Otterbein pulled within three points with 16:24 remaining, but CWRU answered with a 10-0 run, finished with a jumper by Frilling that put the Spartans ahead by 13, 59-46, with 14:16 to play. The Cardinals would not be able to get any closer than seven points the rest of the way, as the Spartans held on for the victory.

Case Western Reserve shot 50.0% (30-for-60), including seven-of-18 from three-point range, and were bolstered by solid free throw shooting, connecting on 17-of-20 (85.0%) attempts from the line.

Otterbein's Dallas Patrick led all scorers in the game with 32 points.
 
The Spartans will be back in Horsburgh Gymnasium on Sunday afternoon, as Case Western Reserve plays host to Hamilton College. Tip-off is slated for 3:00 p.m.