A poor shooting night brought an end to Wabash’s two-game winning streak. The Little Giants lost 64-51 in North Coast Athletic Conference play Wednesday night to 16th-ranked Wittenberg University at Chadwick Court.
The Little Giants would connect on only 19 out of 57 shots for a final mark of 33.3 percent from the field. That included only 6-of-18 from behind the three-point arc. The effort at the free throw line was no better for Wabash, hitting only seven of 15 attempts.
Wabash matched the Tigers basket for basket in the early going. The Little Giants took a 5-4 lead on an Andy Root three-pointer four minutes into the contest, then took a three-point lead on a jumper by Aaron Brock. It would prove to be the biggest lead Wabash would see.
The Tigers’ Gregg Hill responded with a three for Wittenberg after Dane Borchers had cut the lead to one point with a jumper in the lane. That started a 7-0 run for the Tigers to put the visitors on top 11-7. Wabash eventually tied the score at 11-11 after a basket by Chase Haltom and an Andrew Zimmer tip-in of his own missed attempt. Brock gave Wabash it’s final lead of the game with a layup midway through the opening period. Wittenberg responded with another run, once again outscoring the Little Giants 7-0 to move back in front by five points.
The lead would stretch to 11 at halftime on a Hill jumper just before the horn sounded for the break. Twice in the first seven minutes of the second half the Little Giants trimmed the Wittenberg advantage to a workable margin --- once to six points and a second time to only five --- but would get no closer. After getting as close as eight points with three minutes left in the contest, the Little Giants were forced to foul at the close of the game in attempt to get the ball back. The Tigers hit six out nine free throws attempts at the end of the game to salt away the victory.
Zimmer recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Root added 11 points in the losing effort. Borchers led Wittenberg with 22 points, while Hill finished with 21.
Wabash (6-12, 3-6 NCAC) has now played all nine teams in the NCAC and begins its second trip through the conference this Saturday when Oberlin travels to Crawfordsville. Tipoff of the weekend contest has been moved to 1 p.m. as on of the events in the inauguration of President Pat White.