The game featured two of the top offenses in the Ohio Athletic Conference, yet defense was what mattered most in John Carroll's 70-60 win over Mount Union Saturday afternoon at the DeCarlo Varsity Center.

The win, coupled with Baldwin-Wallace's win over Ohio Northern this afternoon, has forced a three-way tie atop the OAC standings between JCU, Baldwin Wallace and Ohio Northern -- all of whom are 7-1 in league play.

Little separated the two teams in a rough first half that included 24 total fouls across both lineups. There were five ties and neither team led by more than six points.

Mount Union played to its strength in the opening 20 minutes. The league leader in three-point field goals made and three-point field goal percentage, the Purple Raiders were 6-11 from beyond the arc in the first half.

Despite this barrage from long range by the visitors, JCU held a one-point lead at halftime, 35-34. 12 points from Shmoo Pryor, thanks in large part to five lay-ups, helped keep the Blue Streaks in front.

In the second half, the Blue Streaks were able to put the long range shooters of Mount Union on ice. While the Purple Raiders made just one of ten attempts from three-point range,  JCU dominated in the paint. The Blue Streaks outscored the Purple Raiders in this category, 46-24.

The key run took place after Mount Union took a 42-41 lead on an Isabella Pecchia lay-up with 16 minutes to play. John Carroll responded with a 9-0 run and never trailed again. Katlyn Spahar had five point in the run and assisted on a Beth Switzler fast break basket that put JCU ahead, 50-42, at the 13:13 mark.

The Purple Raiders closed to with four points at 53-49 with 9:13 to play, but JCU allowed just 11 points the rest of the way. Over those final nine minutes, JCU forced four turnovers, blocked a shot, and held Mount Union to four field goals (4-11).
 
Pryor had an excellent afternoon as she tied her career high in scoring with 21 points. Katlyn Spahar played all 40 minutes of the game as the sophomore chipped in 11 of her 16 total points in the second frame. She also had a game-high nine rebounds.

JCU forced 16 Mount Union turnovers with Spahar (4) and Daniella Rice (2) accounting for six of the nine steals.

The balanced scoring attack of the Blue Streaks was also on full display as all eight players who saw action registered in the scoring column for the afternoon.

Junior guard Annie Bova took charge for the Purple Raiders as she led the team with 19 points. Bova was the only Mount Union player to reach double figures .

With the victory, JCU improves to 14-1, 7-1 OAC. The team's lone loss came against the Ohio Northern Polar Bears by three points (73-70) on the road back on December 6

The Blue Streaks will head to Baldwin Wallace to take on the Yellow Jackets on January 21 for a first-place battle beginning at 7:30 p.m.