SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — After a slow start, the Wittenberg Tigers put things together in the second half to pull away from Allegheny and record a 78-66 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) win over the Gators.
The Tigers improved to 15-6 overall and, more importantly, kept pace with Wooster atop the NCAC at 11-1. Allegheny, which lost the first meeting with the Tigers this season by 17 points last month, dropped to 10-11 overall and 5-7 in the conference.
Allegheny moved out to a 9-0 lead through the first four minutes as the Tigers struggled to even get a shot off. But once Wittenberg started shooting, the Tigers quickly found the range, finishing 11-of-19 from the field in the first half and a blistering 28-for-45 in the game (62.2%). Allegheny couldn't keep up, despite shooting almost as well, finishing above 50 percent in each half for 23-of-48 overall (54.8%). The two teams were a combined 13-of-25 from three-point range as well.
The difference in this game came down to rebounding, turnovers and foul shooting. The Tigers won the battle of the boards 26-16, had four less turnovers and shot 85 percent from the free throw line, compared to 67 percent for Allegheny. That combination allowed Wittenberg to pull away in the late going after Allegheny held a 37-33 halftime lead and still had a two-point lead as late as the 13:12 mark of the second half. The Tigers dropped 8-of-10 free throws in the final minute to close things out.
Individually, the Tigers continued to exhibit greater and greater balance on offense, starting with junior guard Gregg Hill (Farmington Hills, Mich./Redford Union). He finished with 20 points, six assists and two rebounds in a tremendous 30-minute effort. He was ably backed by the continued hot shooting of junior wing Kevin Murray (Carmel, Ind./Carmel), who finished with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field, five rebounds and three steals.
Rounding things out for Wittenberg, sophomore post Mark Snyder (Celina, Ohio/Parkway Riverside) provided a spark off the bench with 12 points and four assists. He hit all five of his shots from the field and both free throws.
Allegheny picked up 22 points from Doug Price off the bench to lead three players in double figures.
Wittenberg now heads into a season-defining three-game stretch, starting with a home game against Ohio Wesleyan on Wednesday. The Tigers dropped a three-point decision on the Battling Bishops' home floor last month. That is followed by a road game against nationally ranked Wooster Feb. 16 and a key home contest against Wabash on Feb. 20.