Marietta College Pioneers vs. Capital University Comets
Tuesday – February 15th – 7:30 pm
Match-Up History & Game Preview – Keys to Victory
February 15, 2022 by C. Jay Prescher
Last Saturday, the Marietta College Pioneers men’s basketball team traveled over to Wilmington College. From the opening tip-off, the “Navy Blue” dominated at both ends of the court. The #2 nationally ranked Pioneers annihilated the Quakers 77-46. The game was even more lopsided than the final score might suggest. Marietta College’s defense smothered Wilmington in the first half. After last Wednesday’s shut-down performance against Mount Union, it was the Pioneers’ second straight outstanding game defensively.
However, on Saturday, Marietta was even more impressive. Head Coach Jon VanderWal put his team’s defensive effort into perspective. Coach VanderWal said, “That was the best half of defense I’ve ever been a part of.” When the teams headed for the locker room at halftime, the scoreboard confirmed coach VanderWal’s praise for the Pioneers’ tremendous effort on defense. Marietta College had stormed out to an incredible 44 to 9 advantage. This basketball game was essentially over.
Following the halftime break, to Wilmington’s credit, the Quakers came out and continued to play hard. However, they had no answer for a far superior basketball team. Late in the second half, the Pioneers had the opportunity to get valuable minutes for their bench reserves. At the final horn, Marietta had their 20th win of the season. Saturday’s dominating victory also handed Marietta College its seventh OAC regular season championship in the last eight years.
That 15th regular season conference win guarantees the Pioneers home court advantage throughout the upcoming conference tournament. It also positions Marietta College to earn a place in OAC basketball history. To match an 83-year-old OAC record, the Pioneers must take care of business in the final two regular season games. Up next for Marietta College are the 13-9 Capital Comets. First, we’ll take a brief look at the Marietta vs. Capital matchup history. Finally, we’ll share a couple of keys to victory, which will help the Pioneers move within one game of tying a prestigious conference mark.
Match-Up History
Marietta at Capital – January 19, 2022
Earlier this year, the Pioneers made the trip up to The Capital Center in Columbus, Ohio to play the Comets on their home court. Marietta’s ascent back up in the D3 Hoops.com national poll had them ranked at #6 in the country at tip-off.
Playing in front of a raucous home crowd, the Comets opened up strong. With 9:12 left in the first half, Capital had busted out to a 20 to 12 advantage. The Pioneers pushed back, taking their own five-point lead at the five-minute mark.
Capital made a final run to end the first 20 minutes, tying the game at 37 apiece on a Ryan Suever three-pointer. Tyler Schreck scored a quick basket just 12 seconds into the second half. The 6’3″ senior’s bucket gave Capital a brief two-point advantage. It would be the Comet’s last lead. Marietta tightened down defensively, gradually opening the game up. By the midway point of the 2nd half, the Pioneers had stretched the gap to 16 points. Capital would fail to cut the lead below double-digits. Ultimately, the Comets fell to the Pioneers, 81 to 69.
The January victory was Marietta’s third straight in the head-to-head series. Both games, scheduled for February 2021, were cancelled. Prior to that, the Pioneers’ swept Capital in 2019-2020. This was after Capital had won both games the previous year. The Comets sweep of the 2018-2019 regular season 2-game series was instrumental in keeping Marietta from winning an outright OAC regular season championship.
Capital, Marietta, and Mount Union all ended the regular season with matching 14-4 conference records. Before that disappointing season sweep, Marietta had defeated Capital in nine straight. Since 2009, the Pioneers have beaten the Comets 16 out of 24 times. On Tuesday night, Marietta will look for their 21st overall win of the season, plus a 17th OAC regular season conference victory without a loss.
A win at The Banjo on Tuesday will leave Marietta College with one regular season game remaining on the schedule. That game could have historical significance. The trip up to Tiffin, Ohio on Saturday, February 19, could be an opportunity for the Pioneers to match an elite Ohio Athletic Conference team record. However, the Pioneers must take care of Capital first. Here are a couple of keys to victory to overcome a Comets’ upset bid.
Keys to Victory
• Appreciate the Significance
Tuesday night’s game has meaning for Marietta College. They all do. However, a win on Tuesday will add huge significance to the final regular season game against the Heidelberg Student Princes.
The OAC conference regular season title belongs to the Pioneers. Home court advantage in the tournament is secured. But a special team honor in the Ohio Athletic Conference record books is still within reach. This game has significance. They’re all significant.
The Pioneers must realize that the game also carries a great deal of significance for the Comets as well. Certainly, it would be a feather in Capital’s cap to knock off the #2 D3Hoops ranked team in the nation. From here on out, that’s a motivating factor for every team that Marietta College will play.
Capital also has an extremely slim chance of sneaking its way into the 2022 NCAA Division III men’s championship as an at-large team. Understandably, it’s a one-in-a-million long shot. Capital is on the bubble of all bubbles, probably too far behind to warrant much consideration. However, a victory over the second-ranked team in the country, on their home court, would certainly draw some attention.
Nevertheless, another loss will erase even the most remote possibility of grabbing the selection committee’s attention as an at-large pick. In 2021-2022, there are only 20 at-large bids for the national championship. Depending on who wins the conference tournament, the OAC should have no less than two teams in the final Division III field of 64.
The Pioneers and Mount Union are virtual locks. After that, Heidelberg will receive serious consideration. It will be tough for a fourth OAC team to get a nod. Otterbein seems to have the only realistic chance after Heidelberg. Again, there is one guarantee. If Capital loses another game without upsetting their way through to the conference tournament title, the Comets will not be playing in March.
In addition, the opening round matchups in the OAC tournament bracket still remain unanswered. The conference tournament will be expanded in 2021-2022. All ten OAC teams will have a shot at the conference’s automatic bid beginning on Monday, February 21st. The top-two teams in the final standings, Marietta and Mount Union will have first-round byes in the OAC tournament. Heidelberg could have a backdoor chance of jumping Mount Union, depending on the tie-breaker.
The #3 through #10 seeds will match up “high against low” in the opening round. Higher seed will get home court advantage. Capital will host their first game. However, the difference between the #5 and #6 spots in the final standings will mean either hosting Wilmington or Muskingum, or having to beat two potentially more dangerous teams, Ohio Northern and John Carroll.
There are only two very tough regular season games left for Capital, both away from The Capital Center. As well, the Comets will most likely need to upset higher seeded teams on the road to advance in the OAC tournament. From here on out, each game carries the possibility of essentially ending Capital’s 2021-2022 season.
It’s clear that Tuesday’s game has a “season-defining” level of significance for the Comets. They will certainly be ready to play with intensity. For Marietta College, with one goal achieved, the Pioneers must appreciate the significance of Tuesday’s game as well. Beating Capital will have a huge impact on their pursuit of an ultimate goal.
• Maintain the Intensity
Head Coach Damon Goodwin’s team will show up at The Banjo on Tuesday night ready to play. The outcome of tonight’s game will have an impact on how long Capital’s season might last. With the last regular season game being away at Baldwin Wallace, the Comets will be looking to keep an impressive conference streak alive as well.
Under Goodwin, Capital has finished above .500 in the OAC for 14 consecutive seasons. They must win at least one of their final two games to maintain that streak. Undoubtedly, Capital will be playing with intensity. However, if the Marietta College Pioneers can maintain the intensity level that they’ve shown recently, they will quickly steal some of the Comets’ motivation.
Using a stifling defense, Marietta has blasted out of the gate in their last two wins. That same type of tenacious intensity will be critical on Tuesday night.
At times, one of the few weak spots in this Pioneer team has been an inability to generate early momentum. They seem to have solved that problem.
Lately, Marietta has played with an overwhelming intensity, especially during the first half. The Pioneers must maintain that same intensity to overcome a motivated and upset-minded Capital squad.
• Milestones & Records Watch
- Senior Jason Ellis is still ahead of the single-season record for foul shooting percentage of 92.1% held by Dillon Young (2015-16), plus the career mark of 84.5% set by Mitch Miracle (1975-79). Ellis is at 94.2% on the season and 86.7% during his career at Marietta College.
- Fellow senior Lukas Isaly is currently close to Mitch Miracle’s Pioneer career mark for foul shooting accuracy. Isaly has made 82.3% of his free throws during his four years in the Navy Blue.
- Also, Ellis has 1,395 points during his Marietta College career. That’s just 105 points shy of becoming only the seventh Pioneer in school history to reach the 1,500 point mark.
- In addition, Isaly can become the third Pioneer 1,000 point club member from this year’s squad. Isaly needs just 22 points to reach that mark.
- Despite only getting a single bucket on Saturday, 6’8” senior big man Tim Kreeger is still adding to his impressive 1,007 point total as a Pioneer. Kreeger is just 21 rebounds shy of 600 for his career as well.
• Something Special
There are only two regular season games remaining in the 2021-2022 Pioneers’ basketball season. One team goal has been realized. The Marietta College Pioneers need to find room to hang yet another banner inside Ban Johnson Arena. With Saturday’s win at Wilmington, the Pioneers added to an impressive display. However, there are a few more goals in this team’s mind, with banners that will accompany them.
This team is special. They’re talented enough to achieve these lofty goals. Tuesday night won’t be about banners or flashy honors. However, it’s another small step towards fulfilling an amazing goal. The Marietta College men’s basketball team should keep in mind the significance of this game. If the Pioneers can maintain their intensity, they will put themselves one game away from an unbeaten OAC regular season.
The Marietta College men’s basketball team is a special group of young men on a special mission. There shouldn’t be an empty seat inside Ban Johnson Arena for the rest of this exciting 2021-2022 basketball season. Pioneer fans can help this team. #PioNation can be part of something special. The “loudest fans in the land” can help this group of tremendous student/athletes realize an ultimate goal. Tip-off time tonight is 7:30 pm. “The Banjo” will be Rockin’! No excuses. Get your Butt to The Banjo!
The Word Jester is not employed by Marietta College, and is not affiliated with the Ohio Athletic Conference or D3 Hoops.com
The opinions expressed in this article are the exclusive viewpoints of the author.
They do not reflect the points of view, policies, or principles of any outside agency or organization.
