Last year a late four-point play led Wooster to a five-point win over Wabash at Chadwick Court. This year's meeting the difference-maker proved to be a put-back basket with 18 second left in the contest to allow the Scots to escape Crawfordsville with a 72-70 victory over the host Little Giants. (View photos from the game.)
A missed layup by Wooster's Brandon Johnson was collected by freshman Bryan Wickliffe. The rookie rolled the ball into the basket for his 20th point of the game, giving Wooster a 71-67 lead. Wabash senior Gary Simkus answered almost immediately. Chase Haltom raced up the floor with the basketball, hitting Simkus on the right wing with a pass that led to a three-point basket with 12 seconds left in the game.
Wabash quickly fouled Devin Faulk, one of the best free throw shooters on the Wooster team. The senior guard gave the Little Giants hope, missing the first free throw before nailing the second with nine second left to give the Scots the two-point advantage.
The Little Giants worked the ball to midcourt, calling timeout with six seconds left. Haltom took the inbound pass and was ready to launch the game-winning three, but a Wooster defender stepped out to block the shot. Haltom dished to Andrew Zimmer, who had set the final screen for the sophomore guard, but the ball was knocked away by Johnson, sending Wabash to defeat without ever getting a final shot away.
Wooster came into the game third in the nation in three-point shooting at 46.7 percent. The Little Giants reversed that role, however. Wabash held the Scots to 2-of-10 from beyond the arc while connecting on 11-of-21 long range shots. Turnovers proved costly for the Little Giants. Wabash committed 21 miscues leading to 27 points for Wooster. The Little Giants would force 12 Wooster turnovers for 14 points.
The Scots jumped out to an 8-0 lead to start the contest before Wabash posted its first basket five minutes into the contest. A free throw by Aaron Brock preceeded Zimmer's opening basket, starting a 10-2 run by the Little Giants to tie the game at 10-10. Wabash would eventually take over inside with Zimmer scoring a layup on two putback attempts of his own misses. He got the third shot to fall as he was fouled, hitting the free throw to put Wabash up 24-21 with 5:46 left in the opening period.
James Cooper, the 2007 NCAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year, showed why he earned that award. He kept the Scots in the game in the first 20 minutes, scoring 10 points in the opening period including a free throw and basket toward the end of the half to tie the game for the fourth time. Wabash would move in front by six again before trimming the advantage to three with 32 seconds remaining in the first half. A Wabash turnover led to a Johnson layup just ahead of the buzzer to send both teams to the locker room with the Little Giants up 34-33.
Wabash had the hot hand to start the second half, racing out to an eight-point lead in the first four minutes. Back-to-back layups by Marty Bidwell cut into the Little Giants' lead before Wabash responded with an 11-2 run to move in front 58-47 with midway through the final period.
The Scots cut the lead to 60-56 when Brian Maloney got loose inside for a layup with 5:50 left. Maloney's basket would be the last for the Little Giants before a Zimmer driving layup with 44 second showing on the game clock to end a five-minute streak without a hoop. The Scots outscored Wabash 13-5 over that period on two baskets by Bidwell, four free throws, and a huge trey by Devin Fulk with 55 second left in the game.
Wickliffe led the Scots in scoring with 20, providing the necessary offense for Wooster with 13 points in the second half. While Cooper sliced the Little Giants for 10 first half points, freshman Wes Smith smothered him in the final period. Smith held Coope to one field goal in five attempts, while posting three steals.
Zimmer led Wabash with 21 points. Simkus added 18 and eight rebounds. Brock scored 10 points and grabbed eight boards in the loss.
Bidwell and Johnson finished in double figures in scoring for Wooster (11-2, 4-0 NCAC). Bidwell had 16 while Johnson added 10.
Wabash (8-5, 2-2 NCAC) concludes its four-game conference homestand Wednesday night with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff against Ohio Wesleyan University.
Photos - (top right) Andrew Zimmer drives for two. The senior center led Wabash with 21 points.
(Bottom left) Gary Simkus drained a three in the final minute to give the Little Giants a chance to pull out a late victory, but Wabash would not get a shot away in its final offensive series to lose by two.