By JOHN KEREZY, eyeoncleveland.com founder

Once again, many eyes of the NCAA Division III basketball world will be focused at John Carroll University on Wednesday as the Blue Streaks host the University of Mount Union. JCU sits alone atop the Ohio Athletic Conference standings with a 6-0 mark. Mount Union is in a three-way tie with Marietta and Heidelberg with a 5-1 conference standing. Both teams are 12-1 overall.

Both also come into this contest with high rankings in the current NCAA Division III men’s basketball poll.  John Carroll, once No. 1, sits at No. 8 in the January 8 poll. Mount Union is at No. 12, although perhaps it deserves a higher spot.

Why?

Mount Union has been practically perfect in the past 12 months. The Purple Raiders have won 30 contests and lost just 3 going back to January 8, 2023. Their only defeat this season was a one-point setback vs. Wilmington, 80-79, on December 2, Before that, they advanced in the NCAA Division III playoffs all the way to the National Championship game in 2022-23, losing in the Final to Christopher Newport 74-72 on March 18. That was the exact score of the last contest between Mount Union and John Carroll, which the Blue Streaks won on Jan. 25, 2023.

With a 12-1 mark this season, some would claim Mount Union deserves a much higher ranking in the Division III polls.  Coach Mike Furline isn’t among them though.

“We don’t get hung up on rankings at this point in the season,” he says. “We believe in taking seasons a day at a time and letting the year play out.

His counterpart at John Carroll, Coach Pete Moran, adopts that same philosophy. “We honestly don’t put a big emphasis on our rankings,” he says. “Our primary focus is getting better each and every day. The OAC is one of the toughest conferences in D3, and that’s exciting for our guys because (they) thrive on being tested each game.”

Since exiting from the “Sweet 16” in the NCAA Division III playoffs last season, John Carroll has been playing excellent basketball. At one point it was ranked No. 1 in the Division III men’s basketball poll, but that ended after visiting Hampden-Sydney College spanked the Blue Streaks 85-67 on December 19. “We picked a bad time to play our worst basketball of the season,” Coach Moran said after that, the team’s only loss.

KEYS TO VICTORY, KEY PLAYERS

Like two top careful heavyweight boxers vying for a championship, both schools’ coaches are going into Wednesday’s tilt making only positive statements about their opponent. There’s no bulletin board material to motivate the opponent coming from the coaching staffs.

“(John Carroll) is certainly one of – if not the best – team in the country,” Coach Fuline says. “They are deep and very well coached.”

Coach Moran returns the compliment. “Mount (Union) is just starting to find its groove. It’s safe to say they are playing their best basketball right now. Coach Fuline does such a great job with his team.”

For the Blue Streaks to come out on top, Moran says that his team needs to win the battle of the boards, both offensively and defensively. “We have to do great containing the basketball, and also in defending (Christian) Parker,” he adds.

Parker, a NABC first team All-American in 2022-23, leads Mount Union with 18.7 ppg and 8.2 rpg. A senior, he’s also the third leading scorer in the OAC. Collen Gurley, a graduate student, is next in scoring for the Purple Raiders with a 12.8 ppg and 5.9 rpg averages. Sophomore Corey Hudson is next in scoring with 10.4 ppg, and sophomore Caleb Laurich also averages 8.1 rebounds a contest.

Keeping John Carroll’s two “Lukes” in check will be a top priority for Mount Union’s defense. Junior Luke Chicone is averaging 19 points a game, the No. 2 scorer in the OAC. Luke Frazier, another junior, has an 18.3 ppg average – No. 4 in the OAC — to go with a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game. Juniors Henry Reynor (8.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Will Yontek (8 ppg, 5.5 rpg) are some of the other important players for the Blue Streaks.

Coach Furline stated that for his team to win, the Purple Raiders will need to win the rebounding battle and always be looking for ways to attack John Carroll on offense.

In examining team statistics, each squad reveals some advantages. Mount Union out-rebounds its opponents by an average of 43-36, and it’ll certainly strive to keep doing that on Wednesday. John Carroll’s offense is adept at drawing opposing fouls, and it score an average of nearly 19 points a game from the free throw line.

For those living in/near Northeast Ohio who want to see an outstanding college basketball game, tipoff is at 7 p.m. at the DeCarlo Varsity Center at John Carroll, 1 John Carroll Blvd., University Heights, OH 44118. Everyone can watch the John Carroll-provided live stream of the game here, beginning at 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time: https://jcusports.com/sports/2013/8/29/fan_0829130037.aspx?id=583

This contest is also the Ohio Athletic Conference televised game of the week.

LAST WORDS, AND THE REMATCH

Chicone of John Carroll believes that his school and Mount Union bring out the best in each other, and he has a hunch that will be evident on the basketball floor Wednesday night.

“The rivalry between Mount Union and us is so special because you have two of the best programs in the country across all sports year in and year out competing in one of — if not the best — conferences in the country year and in year out,” Chicone says.  “…and as long as we be ourselves and leave it all on the floor I like our odds.”

Finally, the losing team on Wednesday night will have a shot at redemption. John Carroll visits Mount Union on February 7.