ALLIANCE -- In a battle for first place in the Ohio Athletic Conference, the Heidelberg University Men's Basketball team emerged with a hard-fought 75-71 win over the University of Mount Union on Saturday afternoon.

The first half saw both teams exchange blows, with three lead changes keeping the contest tight. Neither side could establish a firm lead until Heidelberg put together a 8-0 scoring run, fueled by Elijah Harden, Markell Johnson-Nichols, and Eric Panning. Zane Leitwein and Manny Hill combined for eight points to close the half, sending the Student Princes into the break with a 39-31 edge.

Heidelberg continued that momentum into the second half, extending the lead to 15 points. The run was highlighted by three consecutive 3-pointers by Harden. He was nearly unstoppable, finishing with a game-high 30 points, including five from beyond the arc. He now stands just five points shy of the 1,000-career-point milestone.

The Purple Raiders, however, refused to go down quietly. Mount Union stormed back, narrowing the gap to a single point with 8:15 remaining. The Student Princes held their ground, despite managing just one field goal in the final six minutes, their near-perfect performance at the free-throw line sealed the win. Heidelberg went 14-for-15 from the stripe (93.3%) in the second half, including a clutch 9-for-10 stretch in the closing minutes.

Markell Johnson-Nichols was instrumental alongside Harden, contributing 18 points while going 9-for-11 from the line. Hill anchored the defense with a game-high 10 rebounds, while Drew Panning added the exclamation point, checking in late and delivering a wide-open dunk to cement the victory.

Heidelberg returns to action on the road at John Carroll on Wednesday, Jan 15. That game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. tip off.