WILMINGTON, Ohio - Jeffery Mansfield scored a career-high 41 points, but the University of Mount Union pulled away late to defeat the Wilmington College men's basketball team 92-84 in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) contest at Fred Raizk Arena on Saturday afternoon.
The Purple Raiders led for just 5:48 of the entire game including just 41 seconds of the first half. Wilmington would stretch its lead to as many as 13 points after Abdul Kanu sunk two free throws at the 4:04 mark. Down 39-26, Mount Union went on a 14-4 run and thought it would get into halftime down a single possession, but Jeffery Mansfield had other ideas as his layup at the buzzer gave Wilmington a 45-40 advantage at the break.
The Quakers held the single-digit lead until an old-fashioned, three-point play from Logan Hill tied the game 50-50 at the 16:33 mark. Neither team led by more than a possession for three minutes until six straight free throws put Wilmington back on top 61-53 at the 12:51 mark.
Neither team could get into a rhythm the rest of the way as a total of 62 fouls were called in the 40-minute game. Two more Mansfield free throws at the 5:46 mark put the hosts up 75-69, but Mount Union scored on its next five possessions, including three triples from the wing off the hand of Chris Painter, to take an 82-77 advantage.
The Quakers would get the ball back once, trailing 83-80 with a minute to play, with a chance to tie the game, but a turnover sealed the Quakers' fate.
Mount Union finished 30-of-66 (45.5 percent) from the field to go along with an 8-of-22 (36.4 percent) performance from beyond the three-point arc. Both marks were below the Purple Raiders' season averages heading into the game. Wilmington countered by shooting 25-of-52 (48.1 percent) performance from the field, but were held to just two triples on 13 tries.
Both teams shot over 30 free throws with the Quakers making 32-of-38 (84.2 percent) and the Purple Raiders converting 24-of-31 (77.4 percent). Mount Union won the rebounding battle 37-31.
Individually, Mansfield's 41 points led all scorers. The sophomore finished 11-of-16 from the field and a perfect 19-of-19 from the free throw line. Mansfield, who also drew 13 fouls, broke Christian Jones' single-game record of 18 made free throws set against Mount St. Joseph University during the 2014-15 season. Kanu tied his career high with 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field.
Braedon Poole turned in a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds for Mount Union. Nathan Bower-Malone, Painter and Hill also scored in double figures.
Wilmington (6-11, 4-6 OAC) hosts Ohio Northern University for a 7 p.m. contest on Wednesday.
