WESTERVILLE, OHIO  –  Sophomore forward Tyler Ferrell (Brunswick) scored 15 points as the Baldwin-Wallace College men's basketball team defeated host Otterbein University, 84-76, tonight (Wednesday, February 1 2012) in an Ohio Athletic Conference game in the Rike Center. This was the second and final regular season meeting between the teams as B-W swept the season series.

With its victory, B-W improves to 12-8 overall and 7-6  in the OAC and won for the fourth time in its last five games. Otterbein dropped to 6-14 overall and 3-10 in the OAC.

In addition to Ferrell, junior guard Ben Umbel (Poland/Seminary) and sophomore forward Kyle Payne (Brunswick) each scored 13 points for the Yellow Jackets.  Otterbein was led by All-OAC senior center Chris Davis who scored a game-high 20 points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.

The Cardinals opened scoring at the 19:30 mark, when sophomore Max Van Meter made a layup.  B-W responded with a 3-pointer by sophomore center Ferrell at the 19:00 mark, but Davis made 2 free-throws to regain the lead at 4-3 with 18:31 left in the half.

The Yellow Jackets regained the lead at 5-4 when sophomore guard Kevin Krakowiak (Valley City/Holy Name) made a jump shot at 18:14, but Otterbeins senior guard Brice Rausch hit a 3-pointer to give the Cardinals a 7-5 lead with 17:51 remaining in the half. The game was tied at 7-7 then 9-9 before B-W gained the lead when Umbel made a layup at 15:50 for a 11-9 advantage.

The Yellow Jackets then outscored Otterbein 15-9 to build its second eight point lead at 7:28 when Ferrell made a jumper. The Cardinals responded with a 9-0 run to retake the lead at 27-26 when senior guard Mark Louks made a steal, drove the length of the floor and scored on a layup at the 4:37 mark.

Otterbein tied it up again at 30-30 with 3:17 left, when junior guard Tommy Waterwash hit a 3-pointer. B-W out scored the Cardinals 7-2 and led 37-32 when Krakowiak made 2 free-throws with 50.2 seconds left and the score remained that way for the rest of the game.

In the second half, B-W opened scoring at the 19:25 mark, with a 3-pointer from senior guard Promis Cabbil (Elyria).  Otterbein responded with a 5-0 run to cut the lead to three, 40-37, on a layup by Rausch at the 18:41 mark.  The Yellow Jackets responded with a layup at the 18:24 mark with layup by Umbel to regain a five point lead.

The Cardinals sparked another 4-0 run to come within one point, 44-43, in the second half at the 16:14 mark.  B-W responded with a 4-0 run of their own to reestablish a five point lead, 48-43, with 14:36 remaining in the game.

The Yellow Jackets outscored Otterbein 12-7 to gain their biggest lead of the game, 60-50, on a layup by Payne at 9:52 of the second half.  The Cardinals came right back with a 6-0 run, to cut the lead to four, 60-56, on a 3-pointer by Waterwash with 8:36 left in the game.

With 4:14 left in the game, Otterbein came as close as two points, 62-60, when Davis when one-of-two from the charity stripe.  B-W answered with an 8-0 run to regain a 10 point lead, 70-60, capped off by a three point play by Ferrell with 2:48 remaining.  The Cardinals  battled back to bring the game with in six points, 73-67, at the 1:44 mark, but B-W quickly regained a 10 point lead, 79-69, on a free throw by Krakowiak with 47 seconds left in the game.

Otterbein outscored the Yellow Jackets in the remaining seconds, 7-5, to bring the score to its final, 84-76.

The key to the B-W win was the Yellow Jackets shooting 25-of-39 from the free-throw line.  

The Yellow Jackets are back in action this Saturday, February 4 when they will host Muskingum University in an OAC game in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in the Lou Higgins Center at 3:00 p.m. This is the first of three straight home games as B-W hosts OAC and Cleveland cross-town rival John Carroll University next Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. and then hosts Capital University on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 3:00 p.m.

Media and fans are reminded that the B-W will televise its men's and women's basketball doubleheader versus Ohio Northern University on Saturday, Feb. 18 on SportsTime Ohio. B-W has broadcast more of its athletics events on regional cable TV than any other Division III school, including its men's and women's doubleheader versus Wilmington College on January 28. Media and fans can view many of its past Yellow Jacket telecasts on its web site at www.bw.edu/athletics/video/.

FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.