Oberlin, Ohio – For the second time in three games, the Oberlin College men's basketball team erased a halftime deficit to earn a victory as they rallied to knockoff the visiting Otterbein University Cardinals, 70-59, in the home opener on Saturday night at Philips Gym.
 
Seniors Andre Campbell and Christian Fioretti led the way with 18 points each. Fioretti also added team-highs in rebounds (6) and assists (7). Joshua Friedkin got off to a slow start but regrouped to add 11 points, while Wolf Moser chipped in 10 off the bench.
 
At the 11:22 mark of the opening half a jumper from Campbell had the Yeomen up 20-13 but the Cardinals continued to battle as they cut the Oberlin lead down to one on three separate occasions before going out in front, 28-27, on a Reid Black bucket with 64 seconds left in the half. Before the halftime horn would sound, a quick steal and 3-pointer by Dallas Patrick gave the Cardinals a 31-27 cushion at the intermission.
 
Oberlin was down 41-35 seven minutes into the second half but would use an 11-0 run that featured triple-hits from Friedkin and Moser to compliment five free throws from Campbell to make it a 46-41 Yeomen advantage.
 
With 5:24 left to expire in the game, Dorde Otasevic cashed in three of his nine points with a long-range connection from the far corner off a cross-court feed from Fioretti to extend the Yeomen cushion out to 55-48. The margin would only swell from there as two charity tosses by Fioretti with just over four minutes to play pushed the lead into double digits where it would stay the rest of the way.
 
The Yeomen shot 45.8 percent (22-of-48) from the floor and connected at a 76 percent clip (19-of-25) from the free throw line. The Cardinals checked in at 46 percent (23-of-50) shooting but went just 7-of-13 (53.8%) at the stripe.
 
The win ran the Yeomen's record to 3-0 on the year, while Otterbein suffered its first blemish to fall to 2-1.
 
Oberlin is back in action on Wednesday night at Heidelberg. Tip-time is set for 7 p.m.