Wabash overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to pick up an 81-63 win at Kenyon in the 2005-06 regular season finale Saturday afternoon.
The Little Giants doubled the shooting effort of Kenyon in the final period, connecting on 14-of-26 shots in the final period compared to a 7-of-28 performance by the Lords. Wabash also took advantage of 26 second half free throws, including three technical fouls whistled on the Kenyon bench and one call ed on Tyler Rehm.
Wabash fell behind by six midway through the opening period, eventually trailing 38-31 at the halftime break. Coming out of the locker room in the second half, the Little Giants exploded for 11 unanswered points, starting with a jumper by Adonis Joseph and three by Michael Woods. Rehm picked up the technical foul after a turnover, sending Kyle Coffey to the free throw line. The senior calmly connected on both free tosses, then Kyle Medeiros hit a jumper on the following possession to put Wabash up by two.
Kenyon went scoreless in the second period for nearly eight minutes before a basket by Jon Lawrence ended the Wabash run. But the damage had already be done. The Little Giants erased the seven-point edge owned by the Lords, taking a nine-point advantage in stead. A three-point play by Andrew Zimmer made it a double figure lead for the Little Giants that eventually became a 22-point advantage over the final minutes of the contest.
The Little Giants not only double the shooting effor of Kenyon in the second half, they doubled the score with a 50-25 scoring edge over the final 20 minutes of the game.
Medeiros kept the Little Giants in the contest in the first half, scoring ten of Wabash's 31 points before finishing with 15 for the game. Zimmer, Coffey, and Woods handled the second half scoring load for Wabash. Zimmer scored nine points in the final period coming off the bench to finish with 15 overall. Coffey had eight points in the final period to accompany his four blocked shots in the game, finishing the contest with 14 points. Woods, held to two points in the first period, scored 10 for the game.
Wabash finishes the regular season with a mark of 16-9 overall, 10-6 in North Coast Athletic Conference play. The Little Giants wrap up fourth place in the final conference standings, along with the fourth seed in upcoming NCAC Tournament. Wabash will play host to fifth-seeded Earlham College Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. at Chadwick Court.