ALLIANCE, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University men's basketball team was defeated by the University of Mount Union, 76-66 to open up Ohio Athletic Conference action, inside the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex.

BW (3-2, 0-1 OAC) was led offensively by their two backcourt members of senior two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference and Academic All-OAC point guard Jay Battle (Gahanna/ Lincoln) and junior Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference guard Michael Quiring (Brunswick), who had 16 and 19 points, respectively. Leading all players in rebounds was junior forward Drew Sova (Chagrin Falls/ Kenston) with 11 and four coming on the offensive end.

The Purple Raiders (5-1, 1-0 OAC) jumped out to a 12 to 6 lead within the first five minutes, but a 14-3 run from the Yellow Jackets would bolster them ahead by five with less than 10 minutes in the first half. Mount Union would battle back and reclaim the lead, which was followed with two lead changes. BW gained the lead once more in the half with a layup from junior guard Zach Cebula (Brunswick) at the 1:14 mark, but the Purple Raiders would answer quickly and go into halftime with a one-point, 29-28 lead.

Mount Union started the second half on a 14-4 run that would put them ahead by 11 with 15 minutes left in regulation. BW was able to decrease the lead to six twice off a three-pointer from freshman guard Matthew Dimitrijevs (Broadview Heights/Brecksville Broadview Heights) at the 8:42 mark and another three from junior forward Tyler Colombo (Strasburg/ Tuscarawas Central Catholic) at the 7:00 minute mark. The Purple Raiders would sustain their lead and close out the game with a 76-66 final.

BW shot 24-of-54 (44%) from the floor and 10-of-29 (35%) from deep, while outrebounding the Purple Raiders 34-27. The bench for the Yellow Jackets contributed 15 points to Mount Union's four.

Next matchup for the Yellow Jackets is an OAC game against Muskingum University on Saturday December, 1. Game is set to tip off at 2 p.m.