Springfield, Ohio – The Wittenberg women's basketball team closed out the 2017-18 regular season with a 78-63 win over the College of Wooster Fighting Scots. With Senior Day festivities taking place before the start of the game, Wittenberg sent off two special individuals in Becca Ziska and Haley Dannemiller before they took the floor at Pam Evans Smith Arena for the last time this regular season. Ziska who has been plagued with injuries her final few years in the red and white, took off the walking boot to tally five minutes of action in front of her home fans. Out of the boot and into the scoring column, Ziska didn't miss a beat finishing with five points and pulling down a rebound for the Tigers. Dannemiller has been the "defensive stopper" for Wittenberg during her career, finishing with two points, five rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Their career included a trip to the second round of the NCAA tournament in the 2014-15 season. Wittenberg finished the regular season 14-11 and 9-7 in the NCAC.
HOW IT HAPPENED: Wittenberg jumped out to an early lead after the first quarter 20-15, shooting 41% from the floor. Junior Sydney Mayle unloaded seven of her 15 first-half points in the first ten-minutes of action, posting a season-high 26 points on the day. Mayle went three of six from the field in the first half, converting on all four attempts from the free-throw line. The Columbus, Ohio native finished 7 of 11 from the field and a perfect 10 for 10 from the charity stripe, reeling in three rebounds and two assists. Sophomore Korynne Berner and freshman Delaney Williams kept the offense flowing in the second quarter with six points, a rebound and an assist each. Mayle and Berner had a high octane third quarter, as Mayle finished with six points and Berner with seven, each player knocking down all three of their looks from the field in the quarter. It would be Mayle and Williams to combine in the fourth, with Williams scoring six of her 15 points down the stretch, adding a rebound and two steals. Mayle would go six for six from the charity stripe, pulling down two rebounds and dishing out an assist.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Wittenberg shot 47% from the field, converting on 39% from beyond the arc. The Tiger's would clean up the glass, leading the rebounding column 40-25, as both teams scored 32 points in the paint. Wittenberg scored six second-chance points, as the Tiger's forced 18 Wooster turnovers.
FROM THE BENCH: "Sydney Mayle had a great game. Great overall day, not just on offense but on the defensive side of the ball as well. The team did a great job in a game that was not very easy at times, and to send the seniors off with a win," said head coach Kelly Mahlum, "My hope is that it carries some confidence into the conference tournament."
UP NEXT: Wittenberg will be in action for the first round of the NCAC Tournament on Tuesday, February 20 taking on Hiram at 6:00 PM from Pam Evans Smith Arena.
.@WittWBB takes down NCAC rival Wooster 78-63 on Senior Day! #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/oEwR9FSTQT
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) February 17, 2018
