The Wittenberg University Tigers carried a four-game win streak into Wednesday's game at Otterbein College, but the momentum was stopped by the Ohio Athletic Conference favorites in a 74-69 defeat. The Tigers dropped to 8-2 overall in the 2000-01 season, while the Cardinals improved to 6-5.

Senior forward Ryan Taylor (Waynesfield, Ohio/Goshen) led Wittenberg in scoring for the ninth time in 10 games, dropping in 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the field. He scored six important points down the stretch as the Tigers pulled to within three points, but his three-pointer with 26 seconds was off the mark and the Cardinals canned two free throw attempts seconds later to seal the win.

Just based on statistics, the two teams were very evenly matched. Wittenberg outrebounded the host team 43-30, and both teams shot about the same percentage from the field and three-point line. The difference came at the free throw line, where Wittenberg hit just 12-of-21 while the Cardinals were 19-of-27.

Sophomore forward Kevin Longley (Vandalia, Ohio/Butler) contributed nine points and nine rebounds, sophomore forward B.J. Harris (Riverside, Ohio/Stebbins) added nine points and eight rebounds in just 18 minutes off the bench, and freshman point guard Mark Borland Kettering, Ohio/Archbishop Alter) hit for seven points and seven assists in 22 minutes off the bench.

The Tigers are back in action on Saturday in Springfield against the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops. The game will be a re-match of Wittenberg's only other loss of the 2000-01 campaign, a 94-83 defeat in Delaware on Dec. 6.