MARIETTA, Ohio – The Marietta College men's basketball team dropped a heartbreaking 58-54 decision to Ohio Northern University Tuesday (Feb. 21) night in the quarterfinals of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament. The loss ends the Pioneers' season with a 17-9 record. [Box Score]

Ohio Northern improves to 14-13 overall. The Polar Bears advance to the semifinals and will play at No. 2 seed Capital University at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday (Feb. 23).

In a game that featured 15 lead changes and nine ties, neither team led by more than six points. The Polar Bears slowed the game down and rode their 6-foot-9 senior center Scott Schnelle to victory.

Schnelle led all scorers with 19 points and also dished out a game-high four assists. He scored his first six points on jumpers outside the paint. When the Pioneers collapsed on Schnelle in the paint he kicked it out to the perimeter and the Polar Bears knocked down the outside shots.

The Pioneers jumped out to the early lead and maintained a small edge most of the first half. A three-pointer by senior #Joe Puch (Brunswick/Brunswick)# with 4:41 left in the period gave Marietta a six point lead, 25-19.

Ohio Northern closed the period on a 12-3 run punctuated by a three-pointer from sophomore Jared Horstman with 50 second left in the half to give the Polar Bears a 31-28 lead at the break.

The second half was a back and forth battle that saw 10 lead changes and four ties. Marietta senior #Trevor Halter (Malvern/Malvern)# hit a jumper with 4:46 left in the game to give the Pioneers a 48-47 lead. Schnelle responded with two quick layups to reclaim the lead for Ohio Northern, 51-48.

Junior #J.J. Martin (Huntington, W.Va./Huntington)# made a layup to cut the lead to one with 3:17 left on the clock. Horstman, who ended the night with nine points, put a dagger in the Pioneers draining a three-pointer and extending the lead to four, 54-50 at the 2:41 mark.

Marietta missed a pair of long-range jumpers and was forced to foul Ohio Northern. Schnelle hit two free throws giving the Polar Bears their biggest lead of the game, 56-50, with 45 seconds left on the clock.

Sophomore guard #Tyler Hammond (Cleveland/St. Ignatius)# hit a jumper and then following a Northern miss, Halter made a pair of free throws to cut the lead to two, 56-54, with 13 ticks left on the clock. The Pioneers were forced to put Horstman on the line and he made one of two for a three point Polar Bear lead, 57-54.

Marietta's three-pointer to tie the game was off the mark and Branden Rushton was fouled on the rebound. Rushton went to the line with 0.8 seconds on the clock and made one of two free throws extending the lead to four, 58-54, and sealing the victory for Ohio Northern.

Martin led Marietta with 16 points and eight rebounds. Halter scored 11 points and blocked three Polar Bear shots. Hammond ended the night with 10 points.

In addition to Schnelle's 19 points, senior Tony Meyer scored 10 points for Ohio Northern. Rushton chipped in with eight points.

The Pioneers outshot Ohio Northern hitting 48.8% (20-of-41) from the floor, 37.5% (6-of-16) from three-point range and 72.7% (8-of-11) from the charity stripe.

Ohio Northern shot 43.1% (22-of-51) from the floor, 50.0% (5-of-10) from long range and 69.2% (9-of-13) from the line.

Both teams pulled down 28 rebounds. Ohio Northern forced 14 Marietta turnovers and converted them to 18 points. The Polar Bears committed just seven turnovers in the game.