Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 66, Otterbein 59

Senior post Marshall Morris (Tulsa, Okla./Jenks) scored 6 points during a 9-0 first-half run that put Ohio Wesleyan ahead to stay and added a 3-pointer during an 11-0 run to open the second half, and the Bishops went on to defeat Otterbein in the first round of the Holiday Inn-Airport Tournament, hosted by the University of Rochester on Saturday in Rochester, N.Y.

Ohio Wesleyan will face host Rochester, a 101-48 winner over SUNY-Cobleskill in Saturday's nightcap, in the tournament championship game at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

The Bishops trailed, 27-21, after a jumper by Otterbein's Andy Yazrombek with 4:44 left in the first half.

Morris answered with a jumper on the Bishops' ensuing possession, then sank a pair of free throws at the 3:27 mark before a steal and lay-in by senior guard Andy Winters (Columbus/Bishop Watterson) tied the game.  A free throw by senior wing Greg White (Dayton/Centerville) and 2 more Morris charity tosses gave Ohio Wesleyan a 3-point lead, and the Bishops still led, 32-29, after another pair of Morris free throws with :15 left in the half.

Jon Juergens' tip-in in the closing seconds brought Otterbein within 32-31, but Ohio Wesleyan soon seized the momentum back.

A Morris steal set up a Winters jumper to open the second half, then Winters returned the favor by stealing the ball and setting up Morris for a 3-pointer.  Junior post Reuel Rogers (Columbus/Bexley) followed with a pair of hoops sandwiched around a thundering dunk from senior wing Vaughn Spaulding (Reynoldsburg) to give the Bishops a 43-31 lead just over 2 minutes into the period.

The Cardinals rallied with some torrid outside shooting, getting a pair of 3-pointers from C.J. Julian and trifectas from Matt McCollister and Tommy Waterwash to close within 48-45 with 15:11 to play, and Otterbein was still as close as 54-50 after a Juergens 3-pointer with 7:50 remaining.

Rogers and White answered with lay-ins for the Bishops, and after a Rogers tip-in that gave Ohio Wesleyan a 60-51 lead with 4:55 left in regulation time, Otterbein would not come closer than 5 points.

Rogers led the Bishops with 21 points and 9 rebounds, going 9-for-15 from the field.  Morris finished with 15 points, junior guard Taylor Rieger (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange) added 11 points, and Winters collected a game-high 8 assists.

Max Van Meter led Otterbein with 15 points.

Box Score