SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - Successful coaches are always harping on the little things in practice, despite the eye rolls and frustrated sighs of players who usually prefer to simply run, jump and shoot the basketball. Wednesday's 60-57 win over visiting Thomas More was Exhibit A for why Wittenberg Head Coach Pam Smith pays such close attention to the details.
The Tigers saw a 13-point lead shrink to one point in the waning moments, but they found a way to hang on in the end. Wittenberg was held scoreless for 6:36, seeing a 58-45 advantage go all the way down to 58-57 at the 1:40 mark of the second half on a three-pointer by Amanda Link. Senior guard Brittany Landreth then came up with the play of the game, doing the little thing of stealing a rebound away from Thomas More's Kristen Humphrey with just three seconds remaining and then calmly draining two free throws to give the Tigers a much-needed cushion.
Wittenberg shot 40 percent from the field in the game, two points higher than its season average, and the Tigers won the rebounding battle, 38-34. The key to the game was a season-low nine turnovers by the Tigers, six fewer than the visiting Saints. The Tigers, who lead the North Coast Athletic Conference with a 7-1 mark at the halfway point in the 2005-06 regular season title chase, improved to 11-6 overall with their sixth win in the last seven games.
After 15 lead changes in the first half, the last coming on a layup with 23 seconds remaining by Wittenberg sophomore post Katie Gregorevich, the Tigers carried a 32-31 lead into the halftime locker room. The Tigers scored the first eight points of the second half, and they maintained a comfortable lead that reached a high of 13 points on a jumper by Landreth at the 6:39 mark.
Landreth finished with eight points, matching her career high for a second time this season. Six of her points came in the decisive second half. Junior post Kathy Hittle led Wittenberg with 11 points, all in the second half after she picked up two fouls in the opening 20 minutes and was forced to the bench. Gregorevich picked the Tigers up in the first half, filling in nicely for Hittle in the post and eventually finishing the game with nine points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Thomas More's Brooke Warner led all scorers with 14 points, followed by Humphrey with 13 points. Megan Wood added eight points and a game-high eight rebounds.