A top four spot in the OAC Tournament is certain for the John Carroll University men's basketball team. As to which spot in the top four: Well, the next three games will play a big role in deciding just that with the Blue Streaks squaring off with a trio of teams currently in the top four.
 
Regulation could not decide the back-and-forth affair that featured 15 lead changes and 16 ties. John Carroll would utilize strong hustle over the final 15 seconds of overtime to hang on for the 108-106 win inside Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea, Ohio.
 
Freshman David Linane was able to stay out of the Yellow Jackets' hive for nine seconds before being fouled with six seconds remaining. The sophomore went 1-for-2 at the line.
 
Enter JCU's offensive rebounders.
 
Will Starks secured the miss on Linane's second free throw attempt. The junior was unable to connect on either free throw try. JCU had another chance to make it a two-score game with Tony Vuyancih coming up with the offensive rebounds. The freshman was only able to connect on 1-of-2 at the line.
 
Linane fouled BW senior Justin Roth with 0.7 seconds remaining. The OAC's leading scorer connected on the first try setting up a must-miss attempt. The guard's quick runner was off the mark with Starks able to secure the rebound sealing the game.

"You know what, it's something Coach Moran stresses every day in practice, to play every play all of the way through," said assistant coach Frank O'Brien. "I'm glad the guys listen and Will stepped up big with those two rebounds."
 
With the win John Carroll improves to 16-5, 12-3 OAC while Baldwin Wallace falls to 15-7, 9-6 OAC. The win handed head coach Mike Moran his 412th of his career moving him into a tie with Wooster's E. M. "Mose" Hole for the fourth-most in OAC men's basketball history.

Said O'Brien, "It's been my privilege and everyone else's who's ever worked with Coach Moran. We learn from him every day. He's definitely a legend and deserves any accolade he gets."
 
Starks led the way for the Blue and Gold with a career-high 25 points. Coincidently, the junior has reached the 20-point plateau in three of the last five Wednesday contests.

Said O'Brien, "We've talked about this before. When he gets going, he's as good of a shooter as anybody in the conference. We're really proud of him because he works on it every single day."
 
Sophomore Doug Caputo added his third double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds in the win. The point total was one shy of tying the forward's career-high.

"Coach has challenged Doug in practice and says he can be one of the best big guys in the conference," said O'Brien. "Hopefully Doug's listening and stepping up."
 
Baldwin Wallace jumped out to a 15-6 lead less than four minutes into the game. The Yellow Jackets were aided by an early 8-0 run in large part due to five points from freshman Cameron Kuhn.
 
John Carroll's second platoon started an 8-0 run for the Blue Streaks making it a one point game at 17-16 with 13:58 in the half. Starks played a large part in the run with five points.
 
The first platoon tied the score four times before taking the lead for the second time of the game. Playing a longer than normal shift in Mike Moran's five-in, five-out system, Caputo put JCU in front 28-26 at the halfway point of the stanza.
 
John Cirillo led the second platoon on a 7-0 run giving JCU its largest lead of the first half. The freshman capped the stretch with four straight points handing the Blue Streaks a 37-31 lead with 6:42 in the half.
 
BW answered right back with a 9-0 run capped by a Kuhn 3-pointer pushing BW ahead by three.
 
Playing with a mix of platoons due to foul trouble towards the end of the first half, John Carroll exploded for a 12-0 run. JCU received a trio of 3-pointers during the stretch including two from Vuyancih. The run staked John Carroll to a 51-42 lead with 1:49 remaining in the half.
 
JCU would take a 54-50 lead into the locker room.
 
Baldwin Wallace had another strong start to the second half, utilizing a 13-4 opening run to take a 63-58 lead with 13:51 remaining.
 
The lead would change nine times with eight ties in the second half with neither team being able to pull ahead by more than five points.
 
BW appeared to seize momentum hitting back-to-back 3-pointers opening up a 63-58 advantage with 14:08 left in regulation. John Carroll answered right back cutting its deficit to one.
 
JCU would play from behind over the final seven minutes of regulation and would tie the score four times including two free throws from Linane with 36 seconds remaining.
 
For the second time this season, Baldwin Wallace had a game-ending buzzer-beat rim out with Jaron Crowe's attempt off the mark.
 
Starks' 3-pointer with 3:04 remaining in the extra stanza proved to be the difference with the Yellow Jackets never being able to swing back on top after that.
 
John Carroll returns home to host No. 3 Marietta at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14.