WOOSTER, Ohio — On opening night of the 2006-07 season, the Wittenberg Tigers overcame 19 turnovers to defeat Swarthmore College. In the four months since that game, Wittenberg had not committed more than 17 miscues - until Friday's 57-52 North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal loss to Ohio Wesleyan University at the College of Wooster.
Wittenberg shot just 40 percent from the field and committed a season-worst 20 turnovers to conclude the regular season with a 22-5 overall record. The Tigers are now bouncing precariously on the edge of the NCAA Division III Tournament bubble - just 11 months after missing out on the university's third national championship on a last-second shot by Virginia Wesleyan. Ohio Wesleyan advanced to the NCAC Tournament championship game for the first time since 1990 while improving to 18-9 on the season.
While turnovers told the overall story, slow starts to each half set the stage for the costly miscues - putting pressure on the Tigers as Ohio Wesleyan scored the first nine points of the game and the first six points of the final 20 minutes. The latter run undid a strong conclusion to the first half as the Tigers rallied back from that early deficit to take a 24-23 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Tigers committed six turnovers in the first eight minutes of the second half while scoring just two points and allowing the Bishops to take control of the game.
Down 14 points with just four minutes left, the Tigers finally got their collective act together with six three-pointers in a two-minute span. However, three triple tries over the final 18 seconds were off the mark and the Bishops held on to their five-point cushion for the victory - just the third since 1977 for Ohio Wesleyan over Wittenberg, but the second over the Tigers in the 2006-07 season.
Wittenberg held a commanding 37-23 rebounding advantage in the game, but Ohio Wesleyan was efficient with 43 percent shooting from the field, including 8-of-15 from three-point range. The Bishops committed 12 turnovers - eight less than the Tigers, although OWU nearly allowed Wittenberg back into the game with spotty free throw shooting. Ohio Wesleyan was just 13-of-23 from the line - 3-of-6 in the final 34 seconds.
Individually, the performance by senior post Dane Borchers (Russia, Ohio/Russia) was one of the finest of his phenomenal collegiate career. He scored 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and he pulled down an NCAC Tournament record 20 rebounds. He was joined in double figures offensively by junior post Brandan Barabino (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) with 11 points and seven rebounds and sophomore wing Gregg Hill (Redford, Mich./Union) with 11 points.
Down the stretch of the 2006-07 season, the Bishops showed tremendous balance, which paid off against the Tigers. Dustin Rudegeair led both teams with 19 points, while Jesse Jean added 10 and Kyle Holliday chipped in with nine.