WHEATON, Ill. – The Wittenberg women's basketball team is off to a strong start in 2014-15, continuing with a 74-71 victory over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges in the opening game of the Beth Baker Classic hosted by Wheaton (IL).

The win brings the Tigers their first 3-0 start since the 2008-09 season, in which the team won the first four outings of the campaign. Today's contest was the first in school history against CMS, which is a joint athletics department for Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College and Scripps College.

The Athenas are currently receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll and finished the 2013-14 season as Southern California Intercollegiate Athletics Conference regular season and tournament champions with their first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance since 2004 and a 24-4 overall record, losing to DePauw in the opening round of the national tournament.

On a day where the Tigers finished 37 percent from the field, this game was won at the free throw stripe both in the final box score and in the final seconds. Wittenberg drew an eye-bulging 32 personal fouls from CMS and sank 30-of-41 attempts to tie a 10-year old school record for made free throws, originally set at 30 on Feb. 6, 2004, at Allegheny.

The Tigers drained 21-of-28 second half free throw attempts in a period that was dictated by the whistle. For its part, CMS also stepped up its free throw act in the second half, making 12-of-19 following a paltry 1-of-4 first half.

The Athenas needed the boost after falling to a 34-26 halftime deficit, but the Tigers held onto the lead even as Claremont-Mudd-Scripps won the second period 45-40, even taking the lead for a short time in the last minute.

After CMS erased an 11-point deficit with less than four minutes to go and went ahead by one point, senior Darbie Zirkle (St. Paris, Ohio/Graham) earned her way to the stripe to sink two free throws and retake the lead. Sophomore Riley McDonald (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) sealed the outcome with two free throws in two attempts with just six seconds remaining.

Not surprisingly, the Tigers' three top scorers made much of their contribution at the free throw line. The group was led by Zirkle, who posted an 11-of-13 mark at the stripe and finished with the team lead in scoring (18), rebounds (7) and steals (4). Junior Ali Miller (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) followed with 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting and a 5-of-8 figure at the line. Senior Enri Small (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus School for Girls) rounded out the top three with 14 points on 4-for-4 free throw shooting and two three-point field goals.

Miller shared the second line on the rebounding charts with senior Katelyn Haralamos (Maineville, Ohio/Kings) and freshman Haley Dannemiller (Cleves, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) as each pulled in five boards.

The Tigers go toe-to-toe tomorrow against Aurora at 2 p.m. (Eastern) in King Arena to finish out the Beth Baker Classic.

John Strawn '07