WOOSTER, Ohio - A whopping six of the nine players who saw action for the Wittenberg Tigers at arch-rival Wooster on Saturday, Jan. 17, were making their first on-court appearance in one of the best rivalries in all of small college athletics. The Tigers' kiddie corps grew up quickly, but only after spotting the Scots a 15-point second half lead in what ended up a 68-59 Wooster victory.
The Tigers, who fell to 7-7 overall and 4-2 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), rallied to within five points with 1:07 left in the game, but two missed three-pointers and a turnover in the last 23 seconds sealed Wittenberg's fate. Wooster, which improved to 10-5 overall and kept pace with Hiram at 5-1 for first place in the NCAC, knocked in four free throws in the final 20 seconds to put it away.
The win was the 500th of Wooster Head Coach Steve Moore's illustrious career at the school, ironically coming at the expense of Wittenberg, where he played four years and graduated in 1974. Moore has 587 overall career victories, including 87 at Muhlenberg College.
The game was a tight battle through the first nine minutes before the Scots put together a 7-1 run to take an 18-12 lead with 9:06 left in the first half. By halftime, Wooster had pulled out to an 11-point advantage, and the lead remained in double figures for most of the final 20 minutes before an 8-2 Wittenberg burst, capped by a three-pointer from freshman wing Josh McKee (New Carlisle, Ohio/Tecumseh)closed the gap to 64-59, setting up the aforementioned closing sequence.
Statistically, the difference in the game was simple - shooting percentages. Wittenberg took four more shots from the field but made one less, while Wooster finished with two more three-pointers and five more free throws on 92.3 percent shooting. All that negated a seven-rebound Wittenberg advantage, including 14 offensive caroms.
The Scots got 22 points from Ian Franks and 14 from Justin Hallowell, including a pair of deep second-half three-pointers at opportune times. The Tigers' four freshmen who saw action in the game scored a whopping 38 of the team's 59 points and grabbed 22 of their 41 rebounds, led by McKee with a team-high 14 points to go along with seven rebounds and two steals in 35 minutes.
Not to be outdone, freshman post Alex Brandt (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy)contributed 12 points and game-highs of eight rebounds and three blocked shots in 19 productive minutes off the bench. Seven of the nine Wittenberg players who entered the game scored at least six points and pulled down at least three rebounds, including junior guard David Nowicki (Carmel, Ind./Westfield) with nine points, three rebounds and three assists.
The Tigers have another huge challenge approaching, although they get defending NCAC Tournament champion Ohio Wesleyan at home at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21.