Wittenberg ambushes Maryville to advance to Sweet 16

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg University Tigers, the all-time winningest NCAA Division III men's basketball program in regular and post-season play, did it again on Saturday night, closing out a game Maryville College squad by a score of 71-51 in a second round tournament game to advance to the Sweet 16. It was Wittenberg's first tournament victory since 1997 after the Tigers received a first-round bye.

Wittenberg trailed 15-12 after Maryville's leading scorer Brent Watts canned a three-pointer at 10:12 in the first half, but the Tigers then put together an 11-0 run to take a lead they would never relinquish. Senior forward Ryan Taylor (Waynesfield, Ohio/Goshen) hit for five points in that burst.

Maryville closed the first half with an 8-3 burst of its own to close to within 35-32. That would be as close as the Scots would get as Wittenberg methodically pulled away in the final 20 minutes, in part thanks to foul problems that plagued the Maryville front line and star senior center Matt Ennen.

Taylor, who was named first-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference for the second time in his career last week, finished the game with 21 points and eight rebounds to lead the Tigers in scoring. Senior center Chris Fillmore (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton) added nine points and 11 rebounds, and sophomore forward B.J. Harris (Riverside, Ohio/Stebbins) contributed eight points and six boards in just 14 minutes off the bench.

Maryville was led by Great South Athletic Conference Player of the Year Brent Watts, who wound up with 18. Watts and Taylor for Wittenberg were the only players to finish in double figures in scoring.

Wittenberg, which won its record 41st tournament game in its record 21st Division III tournament appearance, now advances to the sectional tournament next Friday and Saturday. The Tigers, regular season champions of the NCAC, will square off with Ohio Northern, the regular season and tournament champions of the rugged Ohio Athletic Conference who defeated defending NCAA champion Calvin on Saturday night 79-68. Game time for Friday is 8 p.m. at the ONU Sports Complex in Ada, Ohio.