SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – As if a 12-point halftime lead fell short of expectations, the Wittenberg women's basketball team reeled off a 38-22 second half to beat visiting Oberlin College by final tally of 65-37 in Pam Evans Smith Arena on Saturday.

The win improved the Tigers to 9-9 overall and lifted them back above .500 in North Coast Athletic Conference action, where they sport a 5-4 record after outshooting the Yeowomen 46 percent to 25 percent.

After a first half in which Wittenberg dominated the boards 19-10, Oberlin clipped the Tiger lead to single-digits with a Melissa Hoak three-pointer with 12:16 remaining in the game. The Tigers responded to the provocation with 15 straight points over the next six minutes, including six by sophomore Karen Daniel-Hamberg (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview) and five by sophomore Katelyn Haralamos (Maineville, Ohio/Kings).

Oberlin stopped the run but from then on could only limit damage, as the Tigers cruised through the comfortable remaining minutes, which provided freshman Paige Stimmel (Delaware, Ohio/Hayes) with her first floor time of the season.

Haralamos finished with the team scoring lead in the box score with 15 points, adding seven rebounds, four assists and three steals to an impressive final line.

Those figures put Haralamos into a shared leader's spot in rebounds with senior Sarah Skidmore (Troy, Ohio/Miami East) and in assists with junior Amber Rice (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern).

Daniel-Hamberg and freshman Carli Swartz (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Lower Merion) each dropped in eight points, while Rice chipped in with seven and sophomore Darbie Zirkle (St. Paris, Ohio/Graham) rounded out the top scorers with six points.

The Tigers return to action in three days' time with a trip to Delaware, Ohio, where they will face Ohio Wesleyan University in conference action at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 29.

John Strawn '07