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WINDSOR, Ontario — In the opening game of their preseason exhibition game tour to Ontario, Canada, the Wittenberg Tigers were defeated by the University of Windsor, 71-59.
As the college game in Canada is played using a quarter format, the Tigers and the Lancers each won two quarters of play. However, the second quarter proved to be the difference after Windsor outscored Wittenberg by a 27-7 margin. This led to a Tiger halftime deficit of 19 points (42-23).
Led by the play of senior Clayton Black (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster), senior Alex Brandt (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) and junior Cam Walton (Waterville, Ohio/Anthony Wayne), the Tigers whittled the lead down to six points midway through the fourth quarter. At that point Windsor converted on some key three-point field goals to thwart Wittenberg's comeback. Black recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Steven Newell (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) led the team in scoring with 14 points.
Windsor's second-quarter surge was sparked by their use of full-floor defensive pressure, which led to 12 first-half Tiger turnovers. Several of the turnovers led to fast break points for the Lancers. Wittenberg had only the NCAA-permitted 10 days of practice leading up to this exhibition game, while Windsor has already played nine games. Seven of the nine games were against the likes of Division I programs Virginia Tech, Oakland (Mich.), the University of St. Louis and North Florida.
"We were very impressed with the caliber of athletes and players that Windsor put on the court," said Tiger Head Coach Bill Brown. "Most of our coaches and players believe that they are very comparable to a program like Wright State. We must continue to play and compete hard, to sort out what players are the most tough-minded and to commit ourselves to making progress over the next few days. However, at the same time, given our lack of preparation time and the quality of competition faced, we need to keep a realistic perspective about it all."
The Tigers continue their tour with a game in Toronto on Sunday versus the University of Toronto. Toronto has recently played UC/Santa Barbara and NCAA Division II Mercyhurst College. The Tigers will be in Toronto for parts of three days, as the trip also is designed for free time and sightseeing as a means of experiencing the culture of Toronto and the province of Ontario.