Box Score As in most games that go back-and-forth, the team with the momentum at the end is the one who wins.

This afternoon at the DeCarlo Varsity Center in what was John Carroll's home and Ohio Athletic Conference opener, visiting Marietta seized the momentum late and pulled off an 82-75 victory that was a one-possession affair entering the final ten seconds.

JCU led 67-65 with 2:25 remaining in the contest following an Emil Hess three-point play, but Marietta answered on its next trip down the floor when Luke Isaly pulled up and hit a top of the key three-pointer. 

The Pioneers would extend that lead primarily at the free throw line as Marietta did not miss any of its 12 free throw attempts down the stretch to remain in front the remainder of the way.

JCU pulled to within one point at 76-75 when Jimmy Berger hit a three-pointer with eight seconds left, but after Kyle Dixon made two free throws to put the visitors up 78-75, the Blue Streaks had one last chance to tie the game. Berger appeared to be fouled near midcourt with five seconds left and launched a long shot hoping to draw a shooting foul, but the foul was not called and the ball landed harmlessly over the end line. A technical foul and foul on the floor provided Marietta its final four points.

The game started evenly contested, with the score knotted at 11-11 after the first six minutes.  It was still close at 30-29 with Marietta on top with just over two minutes remaining when the Pioneers ended the half on a burst. A 10-1 run, capped by a buzzer beater from Mike Hall to end the first half, gave Marietta a 40-31 advantage.

The Pioneers were relentless on the glass in the opening 20 minutes, as they accounted for ten offensive rebounds and won the rebounding battle, 23-17.

To begin the second half, Marietta grew its lead to as high as 12 points before the Blue Streaks began their comeback. Luke Hippler caught fire at the right time, scoring seven points as part of a 25-12 run. Hess hit a three-pointer with 6:06 to play to give JCU its first lead of the second half at 59-58.

JCU would lead by as many as four, but Marietta withstood the pressure, scoring 23 points on 5-6 shooting from the field and 12-12 from the line over the final 4:16 to win in University Heights for the first time since 2014.

John Carroll (3-2, 0-1 OAC) was paced by 19 points from Berger as the only Blue Streak in double figures, while Hess pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.

Marietta (7-0, 2-0 OAC) was paced by 18 points from Dixon.

Next up, the Blue Streaks will travel to Alliance, Ohio to face OAC foe Mount Union on December 5th at 7:00 pm.