A Mainland win would have put Mustangs (2-1, 2-1 Cape-Atlantic League East) in first place in the division, but now the Stangs and everyone else are chasing Middle Township (4-0, 4-0 CAL East).
Mainland's all-time leading scorer for both men and women, averaged a double-double as a senior with 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds as well as 4.1 assists per game for the Mustangs.
With Madi Hafetz regularly in the lineup the past two seasons, Mainland went 49-11 and won a state championship, the first in girls basketball in school history.
Ocean City (22-8) advances to the Group 3 state semifinals at 5 p.m. on Thursday at Deptford High School, where the Red Raiders will face Central Jersey champion Westampton Tech, a 61-53 winner over Neptune.