WILMINGTON, Ohio — The No. 2 ranked Marietta College men's basketball team absolutely dominated Wilmington College Saturday (Feb. 12) afternoon posting a 77-46 win to claim the Ohio Athletic Conference regular season championship.
The Pioneers have won a piece of the regular season crown seven of the last eight seasons, the most successful men's basketball run in the history of the conference.
Marietta improves to 20-2 overall and 15-0 in the OAC. The Pioneers have now won 18 straight games. Not counting last year's abbreviated COVID schedule, the 20-win season is MC's seventh straight.
"I'm just so proud of our squad. To win this league outright is really special," Marietta head coach Jon VanderWal said. "Our guys were focused and locked in, and it really showed with our first half defense. That was the best half of defense I've ever been a part of."
Marietta opened the game with three-pointers from Jason Ellis, Lukas Isaly and Mason Lydic and never looked back. The Pioneers scored the first 13 points of the game as Wilmington struggled against MC's stifling defense.
Jeffrey Mansfield finally got Wilmington on the board with a free throw nearly seven minutes into the game. He delivered the Quakers' first basket of the afternoon at the 10:49 mark of the first half. Marietta held the Quakers to just three field goals in the opening period and held a commanding 44-9 lead at halftime.
The Pioneers hit 10 triples in the first half as Marietta seemingly scored at will. Ellis poured in 17 first half points hitting three shots from behind the arc and 6-of-9 field goal attempts. Cooper Parrott drained four three-pointers in the first half and added 12 points.
Marietta cleared its bench for the second half and Wilmington was able to step up its offensive output. The Quakers managed 37 points in the second half.
Ellis and Parrott led the Pioneers with 19 and 18 points, respectively. Lydic chipped in with eight points, while Jac Alexander finished with seven points. Parrott grabbed seven rebounds, while Addy Black had six boards and Tim Kreeger pulled down five.
Mansfield was the only Quaker in double figures with 12 points. Todd Larkin finished with nine points. Noah Dado grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.
Marietta hosts Capital University on Tuesday (Feb. 15). Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.