CHANDLER, Ariz. - The Ottawa University Arizona men's basketball team upset Baker University on Tuesday morning by a final of 69-63, on the final day of The Cactus Classic in Chandler.
 
With the victory, the Spirit improve to 3-9 on the season. With the loss, the Baker University Wildcats fall to 8-3 overall.

It was a battle all morning long between the Baker Wildcats and the OUAZ Spirit. Matthew McClain scored the first bucket of the game, as OUAZ jumped out to the early 2-0 lead. Baker would quickly even the score at two, before the teams exchanged baskets. Then the Wildcats stormed out to their biggest lead of the game, stretching it out to 16-6, with under ten minutes left in the first half.
 
OUAZ would slowly claw their way back into the game, and by halftime the score sat at 30-29, with the Spirit in the lead at 30-29. OUAZ shot 45% in the first half, and they held Baker University to just 38% shooting from the field.
 
In the second half, the Wildcats and Spirit played tight with one another until the seven minute mark. OUAZ went on a small run and saw their lead reach as high as seven points. The Spirit shot 50% from the field in the second half, and 37% (6-for-16) from beyond the three-point arc. OUAZ held Baker to 32% (9-for-28) from the field and the Wildcats converted on just one of their five three-point attempts in the final 20 minutes. One bright spot for the Wildcats was that they were able to knock down 15 of their 17 free-throw attempts in the second half. In the end, OUAZ proved to be too strong and pulled off the upset of Baker by a final of 69-63.
 
In the victory, three players scored in double figures for the Spirit. OUAZ was led by Matthew McClain, who scored a team high 25 points on 10-of-12 shooting and he also finished with a team high 11 rebounds. Tanner Riley chimed in with 18 points and Marcus Williams scored 12 points off of the bench.
 
The Spirit men's basketball team will now take a break from the court for the Christmas holiday and will return to action on December 29^th for day one at the William Jessup New Year's Classic; hosted by William Jessup University. The Spirit will face La Sierra University on the 29^th at 3pm in Rocklin, California.
   
 
About Ottawa University
Founded in 1865, Ottawa University prepares professional and liberal arts graduates for lifetimes of personal significance, vocational fulfillment and service to God and humanity within a Christ-inspired community of grace and open inquiry. Ottawa University is a comprehensive, not-for-profit educational institution serving 3,000 students through its residential campuses in Ottawa, Kan., and Surprise, Ariz., and adult campuses in Overland Park, Kan.; Phoenix, Queen Creek and Surprise, Ariz.; Brookfield, Wis.; Jeffersonville, Ind.; as well as online. For more information, visit www.ottawa.edu. 
 
For more information about OUAZ athletics, visit http://www.ottawa.edu/ouaz/athletics. Follow OUAZ athletics on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OUAZSpiritAthletics/ and on Twitter twitter.com/OUAZSpirit.