Tigers Trounce Oberlin in NCAC Season Opener

Chris Sloneker and the Tigers topped Oberlin in their 2015-16 NCAC opener. File Photo | Nick Falzerano
Chris Sloneker and the Tigers topped Oberlin in their 2015-16 NCAC opener. File Photo | Nick Falzerano

Springfield Ohio- The Wittenberg Tigers opened up the 2015-2016 NCAC Conference schedule with a win over the Oberlin College Yeomen 80-68. The Tigers enjoyed an impressive night shooting 50% from behind the arc as a team, and 46% from the floor.

The first half featured 22 fouls combined for both sides, but the story of the half offensively was Oberlin's bigs falling into early foul trouble. Wittenberg capitalized, garnishing 25 rebounds and 20 points off the bench while Oberlin's bigs were out of the game.

The Tigers nine-point halftime lead fell to three with 12 minutes left in the first half after Nile Godfrey turned a turnover into a fast-break score for Oberlin.

After a timeout by Coach Brown at the 11 minute mark, the combination of Jaelin Williams (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee)  and Chad Roy (Toledo, Ohio/Holland Springfield) proved to be too much, as the two combined for 21 second-half points down the stretch. Chipping in to the lead was Cody Phillippi (Xenia, Ohio/Xenia) who sealed the deal for the Tigers with a clutch three-pointer that sent the lead to 13.

The Yeomen were outrebounded by the Tigers 40 to 28 in the loss. The Tigers were led in rebounds by Jaelin Williams and Shane Edwards (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg), who each had seven boards.

Wittenberg is back in action after the Thanksgiving holiday on November 28th, at the Rhodes College Thanksgiving Tournament in Memphis Tennessee. The Tigers take on Millikin University, Saturday, of the CCIW, at 1PM Eastern.

Written By: Kuris Duggan