CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Heidelberg University men's basketball team opened the 2021-22 season with a 77-70 victory over Berea College as part of the Lauren Hill Tip Off Classic.  Zane Leitwein hit back-to-back 3-pointers late, six of his team-high 17 points, as the Student Princes pulled away late.

Leitwein was one of five in double figures for Heidelberg.  Dylan Woods added 16 points to go over 900 for his career.  Emmanuel Perdue and Seth Hohman each added 12 points while Martone Cole netted 10 points in his return to the lineup.  

Cole and Hohman each had eight rebounds as HU won the battle on the glass, 40-37.  Heidelberg had 10 more offensive rebounds and held a 21-8 advantage in second chance points.  

Heidelberg converted 23 Berea turnovers into 31 points.  

The Student Princes led by as many as seven in the first half, but a late 3-pointer by the Mountaineers cut the HU lead to one at 32-31.

Berea (1-2) trailed the entire second half, though they were within three on many occasions. 

Ahead 65-62 with five minutes to play, Leitwein stepped into 3-pointers off of feeds from Cole and Isaiah Young.  Buckets in the paint from Perdue and Hohman pushed the lead out to 75-62 with 2:09 left.  From there, the Student Princes cruised to victory.  

Berea's Quae Charlton led all scorers with 22 points.  

Heidelberg will return to action on Sunday against Mount St. Joseph. The game is slated for a 2 p.m. start.