Box Score

The Oberlin College men's basketball team playing the 2008-2009 season opening game on the road at Mount Aloysius College could not overcome a first half deficit and fell 83-71 Friday evening.

During the opening minutes of tonight's game the Yeomen and Mounties were red hot trading early buckets.  Senior guard Jordan Beard tied the game with a jumper, stole the ball and converted another easy bucket for a 4-2 lead.  Good early season play by first year Josh Merritt led to a 9-6 Oberlin lead following a lay-up and three-pointer.

Oberlin would yield the lead after a couple of Mount Aloysius lay-ups and a three pointer, falling behind 15-11.  The Mounties would then run for a six-minute span stretching the lead to 30-11 before Beard was able to convert a lay-up stopping the run.

At the break the Yeomen trailed 48-26 despite shooting 36 percent from the field, however, Mount Aloysius was ready for this game hitting 56 percent from the field including 6 of 11 from behind the arc in the opening stanza.

Oberlin College head coach Isaiah Cavaco noted, “too many easy transition baskets during the first half allowed them to stretch the lead, there may have been some first game jitters contributing to our mistakes.”

The second half saw Oberlin settle in and improve upon their first half shooting hitting 47 percent while stifling the Mounties effort keeping them to 9-24 from the field over the second twenty minutes.  The Yeomen cut the 22 point half-time deficit to eleven at the 9:25 mark on a James Tompsett jumper to make the score 61-50. 

Oberlin would not get any closer as Mount Aloysius was able to close out the game.  The Yeomen had three players in double figures, Beard led the team with 30 points in thirty minutes of action on 11-20 shooting, 3 triples and 5-6 from the line.  Ryan Magiera turned it on in the second stanza to finish with 12 points and 6 rebounds.  Merritt banged in 10 points during his debut in the Yeomen crimson and gold.

“Tonight we mixed in some new faces with our returners, we have a few things to work through but we are looking to build upon tonight's effort heading into Monday's home game” stated Cavaco.

Oberlin College (0-1) will return to the hardwood Monday, November 24 in Philips Gym for a 7:30 p.m. tip with Westminster.