CHICAGO, Ill. – This one's for our 'Ville.
Erasing an 11-point halftime deficit in their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002, the No. 24 Otterbein University men's basketball team used an explosive second half to knock off Wisconsin-Platteville, 57-52.
Reece Huber's 15 points were a game-high, as the senior brought down eight rebounds and recorded three steals. Jarius Jones turned in a gutsy performance, scoring 12 points off the bench. Julian Heckman added another strong evening, dishing out five assists to go along with an Otterbein-high nine rebounds.
Huber gave the Cardinals the first bucket of the game off a tip in, but the first half was all Pioneers. With 6:27 to play before the half, a Chase Garito jumper cut the UW-Platteville lead to two points. That bucket was immediately answered by the Pioneers, going on a 10-0 run over the next six minutes. UW-Platteville continued to control the tempo, taking a 31-20 lead into halftime.
Less than six minutes into the second half, UW-Platteville extended the lead to its largest of the night – a 13-point advantage. A veteran Cardinal team that trailed by double digits in the OAC Semifinals was unfazed and slowly chipped away at the deficit.
A steal from Jones led to him knocking down a pair of free throws on the other end, igniting a 14-0 Otterbein run. Otterbein trimmed the deficit to single digits when Heckman found Troy Scowden, and two possessions later Heckman tallied another assist on a Jones bucket, as the momentum inside the Ratner Center started to shift in favor of the Cardinals.
Down four with 9:19 remaining, Huber delivered a huge spark for the Cardinals, finishing a tough bucket through contact and drawing the foul. After converting the three-point play, Otterbein pulled within one, 39-38, sending the proud pack of Cardinal fans to the edge of their seats.
Trading baskets over the next few possessions, Garito threw down a dunk to give Otterbein the lead for good, injecting life into all 20 Cardinals. Two trips later, Jones pushed the advantage to two possessions, burying a triple from the top of the arc. Garito finished with eight points and six rebounds in the win.
Leading 54-46 with 1:07 on the clock, the Cardinals continued to fend off an experienced Pioneer squad making its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. A corner three by the Pioneers cut the gap to 54-51 with 29 seconds remaining. With Otterbein clinging to a three-point lead, Garito was fouled and calmly sent the Cardinals into the Round of 32, draining both free throws for a five-point cushion.
In the locker room, filled with excitement, Heckman had the honor of placing the Otterbein sticker onto the board — the final confirmation that the Cardinals were moving on.
Otterbein will now face host and No. 6-ranked UChicago on Saturday night with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line. Tip-off is set for 8:10 p.m. EST / 7:10 p.m. CST.