WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Illinois College men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, dropping a 74-71 decision to host Otterbein in the championship game of the Smokey Ballenger Classic on Saturday night at the Rike Center.
The loss dropped the 23rd-ranked Blueboys to 12-1 while the Cardinals improved to 8-3.
IC was led by
Buzz Ritzel and
Jake Mazrimas who both scored 16 points. Mazrimas added eight rebounds.
Matt Thompson came off the bench to score 10 points while
Austin Robinson collected eight rebounds for the Blueboys who played without starting center
Nestor Daboin.
Both Mazrimas, who moved into fifth place on IC's all-time scoring list during the game, and Ritzel were named to the All-Tournament Team.
The contest was tight from the opening tip to the final buzzer. The teams traded the lead eight times and were tied five times throughout the game. IC took a six-point lead at 58-52 with 8:12 remaining after a
Jahkeis Tippett basket. Otterbein then countered with an 8-0 run over the next two minutes to lead by two.
IC regained the lead at 61-60 with 5:47 to go after a Thompson three-pointer but after the Cardinals' Troy Scowden answered with a jumper in the paint 20 seconds later, the Blueboys would never regain the lead.
Tonight's game concluded a stretch of eight of nine road games for IC. The Blueboys return home Wednesday to entertain fellow Midwest Conference unbeaten Beloit. Tip-off at Sherman Gymnasium is slated for 5:30 p.m.
