Five Pioneers scored in double figures as Marietta College easily defeated Bethany College by a score of 118-76 on Wednesday afternoon at Van Johnson Arena. Marietta improved to 4-1 on the season, while Bethany fell to 2-5 on the season.
His 118 points are the second-most in the John VanderWaal era at Marietta College. In the first round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament, the Pioneers defeated Medaille, scoring 120 points. Marietta converted 64.7 percent (44 of 68) on field goal attempts, his best shooting game in 13 years. It was his best shooting performance since hitting 66.7% (40-of-60) from the floor against Carnegie Mellon in 2010.
David Sanford finished with a game-high 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the floor, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Cooper Parrott hit three triples and scored 16 points. Frank Waganfield scored 14 points, while Ethan Andersen and Jack Alexander added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Marietta scored the first nine points of the game and never looked back. Alexander made a 3-pointer at the 12:54 mark, extending the Pioneer lead to double digits at 16-5. With 1:18 left in the first half, De’Ovion Price’s two free throws gave Marietta its largest lead of the half at 54-33. At halftime, the Pioneers led 54-36.
The Pioneers continued to pull away in the second half. Sanford hit a 3-pointer right after the period started, increasing the lead to 23 points at 66-43. Alexander made it a 32-point lead, 87-55, with 11:16 left.
Eric Chapman sank a jumper in the paint with 6 minutes, 19 seconds left to complete Marietta’s record of the century. Another bucket from Chapman at the 3:07 mark gave Marietta its largest lead of the game, 48 points at 114-66.
Bethany had three players score in double figures. Will Brooks led the way with 12 points. Tony Fox scored 11 points and Cole Matthews added 10 points.
Marietta will be off until Saturday, Dec. 2, when the Pioneers play their Ohio Athletic Conference opener in Heidelberg.Tipoff at Tiffin is set for 4 p.m.