Oilers lose close game to streaking Yellow Jackets

FINDLAY – Cedarville University hung on to defeat the University of Findlay men's basketball team 77-70 on Saturday in a tough G-MAC contest. The Yellow Jackets used hot shooting and strong rebounding to overcome the No. 9-ranked Oilers in a hard-fought game. Every time Findlay looked primed to make a run and take the lead, Cedarville got a big stop or knock down another clutch shot. The Yellow Jackets' intensity seemed to overwhelm UF's first group out of the gate, as Cedarville kept up with the top-10 ranked Oilers from the start. "This game took on a similar look to Thomas More," Findlay coach Charlie Ernst said. "I thought we competed hard, our defense was pretty stout to start. That first group, we're struggling right now to find our rhythm on offense. We can't keep fighting from behind.""I thought similar to that (Thomas More) game, Cedarville did a good job of minimizing their mistakes, using their bench wisely, and making just enough shots to keep us an arm's length away," Ernst continued. "Every time we got the lead down to one-possession or tied game, it's like we just couldn't deliver that shot, that possession, to get the lead. It seemed like we kept making shots to cut the lead from five to two, and we just can't quite get over the hump in those situations."Only six points had been scored between the two squads after five minutes, with Cedarville being ahead 4-2. A 3-pointer from freshman Ian Ioppolo tied things at 20 for the Oilers, but Cedarville managed a four-point lead, going into halftime up 38-34. The Oilers have found themselves in close games at the half virtually all year. What has changed in the last several weeks, however, is UF's ability to take control in the second half. Findlay's starting group, as Ernst said, has struggled to get things going recently. Leading scorer Will Aljancic, who was nearly a 20-point scorer through the first 12 games, is averaging just 9.5 points over the last six games, with just one double-digit outing through those contests. Aljancic's double-digit effort was a 31-point career-high against Tiffin during that stretch, but he's put up five or fewer points in four of the other five games.The rest of the team has followed suit. Findlay was averaging 93 points per game during those same 12 games to start the year, going 11-1. In the nine games since, UF is averaging 80.7 points, going 7-2. "I give our team credit for this," Ernst said. "Some teams would spend a lot of time pointing fingers in the locker room. Instead, what I heard when I came into the locker room was, 'It was my bad guys.' From four or five guys. I think that's a testament to the guys on this team. It's not about pointing fingers at other people, it's 'Did I do enough? Even if I played really well, did I do enough?'"Cedarville's Tymoteusz Pszczola finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists, going an efficient 8-of-11 from the field in 26 minutes off the bench. Ethan Sellars ended with 17 points, connecting on three of his four 3-pointers. Sam Johnson posted 10 points, eight rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Anthony Ruffolo had nine points, seven rebounds and five assists. Jaylen Davis added eight points and three rebounds. Findlay High's Max Roth led the Oilers with 13 points, two steals and two assists. Steele Meister, Mason Brandt, Alex Kendall, and Jagger Landers all poured in nine points. Mekhi Elmore added eight points. Out of Findlay's top six scorers, just one is part of the Oilers' starting group in big man Jagger Landers. The Yellow Jackets shot 52% from the field in Saturday's game, while the Oilers shot just 36%. Cedarville corralled 44 rebounds compared to Findlay's 30, and shot 40% from beyond the arc while Findlay made just 26%. Now at 18-3 and 11-2 in the G-MAC, the Oilers will be on the road on Thursday, taking on a 7-14 Northwood team coming off of an eight-point win over Walsh University on Saturday. CEDARVILLEPszczola 8-0–18, Sellars 6-2–17, Johnson 4-1–10, Ruffolo 3-3–9, J. Davis 3-0–8, Thomas 2-0–5, Willeman 2-0–5, T. Davis 1-0–3, Okpara 1-0–2. TOTALS: 30-6–77.FINDLAY Roth 4-5–13, Meister 4-0–9, Brandt 4-0–9, Kendall 3-0–9, Landers 3-2–9, Elmore 3-1–8, Johnson 2-1–5, Ioppolo 1-1–4, Aljancic 1-2–4. TOTALS: 25-12–70.HALFTIME SCORE: Cedarville, 38-34.3-POINT FIELD GOALS: Cedarville 11-27 (Sellars 3); Findlay 8-30 (Kendall 3).REBOUNDS: Cedarville 44 (Pszczola 12); Findlay 30 (Kendall 5).TURNOVERS: Cedarville 14, Findlay 6.