Wabash took an early lead and never looked back Saturday evening, picking up it first North Coast Athletic Conference victory with a 62-56 victory over Denison University.
The Little Giants pounded the basketball inside early. Junior Andrew Zimmer scored in the post to set the tone in the first 25 seconds for an early lead. The Big Red’s Dan Hodgkinson answered with a hoop at the other end to tie the game --- the only time the score would be even for the rest of the contest.
Zimmer scored again to put Wabash up 4-2. Freshman Aaron Brock took over the scoring duties after Zimmer’s first two baskets. The rookie was inserted into the starting lineup to replace Gary Simkus, who left to study oversees in Spain. Brock picked up two quick baskets, along with an Andy Root three-pointer, to give the Little Giants an 11-2 lead.
Wabash had few problems on the offensive end of the floor, connecting on 22-of-48 shots for 54 percent in the first half. But even more impressive was the team’s defensive effort. The Little Giants tallied eight blocked shots in the first period on the way to nine in the contest. Zimmer finished with five, all in the first half.
Zimmer continued to fire shot after shot in the paint, hitting 6-of-7 attempts in the first 20 minutes. Freshman Chase Haltom added eight points in the opening period to boost Wabash to a 33-23 lead at the break.
The Little Giants raced out to a 12-point lead on a layup by Root in the first four minutes of the second half. But the Big Red would trim the advantage to only five points with nine minutes showing on the clock. Zimmer and Brock responded with back-to-back three pointers in between a Denison layup and free throw to push the lead to eight points. The Big Red would draw to within four points in closing minutes. But the Little Giants would connect on six of their final seven free throw attempts to secure the victory.
Wabash held Denison to 20-of-63 shooting from the field in the contest for just 31.7 percent, including just 6-of-23 from behind the three-point arc. Hodgkinson finished the game 9-of-17
Zimmer finished with 20 points to lead Wabash in scoring. Haltom added 16 points, while Brock tallied 15. Hodgkinson led Denison with 22 points.
The win, the first in NCAC action to even the Little Giants’ conference at 1-1, was also the first road win for Wabash (3-5) this season. The victory also came in the first game of a six-game road series for the Little Giants. Their next contest will be at Franklin College (3-5) at 7:30 p.m. on Monday evening.