Columbus, Ohio – The No. 11 Wittenberg men's basketball team moved to 4-0 with an 88-67 win over the Cardinals of Otterbein University in the final game of the OAC/NCAC Challenge from Capital University on Sunday evening. The Tigers finished the evening with four players scoring in double-figures, as the Wittenberg offense was fueled by Jordan Pumroy, posting 21 points and pulling down six rebounds, dishing out four assists and adding two steals on the night.
Game Breakdown
In a game that saw the Tigers hold a lead over the Cardinals by as many as 31-points in the second half. Wittenberg maintained a 44-29 lead going into the half, after a back and forth battle early in the opening minutes, which soon turned to the Tigers pulling away and quickly doubling up their advantage over the Cardinals at 20-10 with just over eight minutes to go in the first half. As Pumroy would put up 14 of his 21 points through the first 20-minutes of actions. The junior guard from Fairborn, Ohio led Wittenberg from the field in the first half, as Pumroy would go on to knock down six of nine shooting, finishing the half with five of his six rebounds and picking up two steals. The Tiger defense would hold Otterbein scoreless for nearly six minutes before a Cardinal three-pointer would finally stop a 17-0 Wittenberg scoring run. The Tigers would only get better with time, in the second-half Wittenberg posted a 51 percent mark shooting from the field, while knocking down four of nine looks from deep range over the final 20-minutes. The Wittenberg defense kept the pressure on Otterbein to keep pace in the second half, as the Cardinals were held to 41 percent from the field and just 23 percent from beyond the arc. Landon Martin would lead the scoring effort in the second half, recording eight of his 11 points of the night off the bench for the red and white. Martin would shoot an even fifty percent from the field, knocking down his only look from deep in the half, while finishing three of four from the charity stripe.
Who Stood Out
Wittenberg had two players finish with 13 points, including James Johnson knocking down five of eight from the field and three of five from deep range, adding two rebounds an assist and a steal. Finishing just one rebound of his third consecutive double-double was Connor Seipel, posting 13 points and nine rebounds. Seipel would go on to provide with three assists and a steal on the night, shooting over 80 percent from the field for the second time this season.
The Thread
��@WittenbergHoops on the road against Otterbein for round two of the NCAC-OAC Challenge. Root on the Tigers, tip off coming up at 4 PM!
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) November 25, 2018
��: https://t.co/e8CB7eHtQ5
��: https://t.co/6204JQDmYv pic.twitter.com/lVuPyAtNXd
�� Jordan Pumroy leads the @WittenbergHoops offensive effort after the first half of action against Otterbein with 14 points and four rebounds! Continue to follow the second-half at:
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) November 25, 2018
��: https://t.co/e8CB7eHtQ5
��: https://t.co/6204JQDmYv #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/k7AAyOLjy8
�� @WittenbergHoops picks up another win, taking down Otterbein 88-67, as the Tigers finished with four players finishing in double-figures on the night! #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/AUe2r8tZaz
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) November 26, 2018
UP NEXT
Wittenberg will be back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 28 when they travel to Marietta College for a 7:30 PM tip-off, closing out their five-game road series to open the season.