A defensive battle by both Wabash and Ohio Wesleyan turned led to a balanced scoring attack for the Little Giants and a 67-62 North Coast Athletic Conference win at Chadwick Court Wednesday night. Wabash put five players into double figures in the scoring column on the way th the five-point victory.
Senior center Andrew Zimmer was held scoreless in the first half before coming to life with 11 second half points. While Zimmer was held in check for the first 26 minutes of the game, the rest of his Wabash teammates handled the scoring duties to keep the game close. (View photos from the game.)
Sophomores Aaron Brock and Chase Haltom joined senior Gary Simkus to score 15 of the Little Giants' 26 first half points. Wabash trailed Ohio Wesleyan by two points at the break thanks in part to the nine-point effort of OWU senior Jesse Jean.
Both teams battled throughout the first half, playing to five ties and five five lead changes. Wabash started with a 10-4 lead, only to watch as the Bishops rallied with a three-pointer from Casey Teeters and a three-point play by Brian Cafarella to knot the score at 10-10.
One Ohio Wesleyan player who never became a factor in the game was Dustin Rudegeair. The NCAC Player of the Week was held to four points before fouling out in the closing seconds of the game. Rudegeair came into the game averaging 17.7 point a contest to lead the Bishops, and tallied 44 points in two victories last week for OWU to earn the league's weekly honor.
The Little Giants could have salted the game away late in the contest. Cafarella tied the game at 46-46 before Wabash went on a 14-4 run. A ten-point lead with 2:36 left in the contest looked safe.
Kyle Holliday drilled a three-pointer to bring the Bishops to within seven and had a chance to cut the lead to six when he was fouled on the shot by Zimmer. Holliday missed the free throw, however, and Wabash hit two free throws of its own a minute later to go back in front 62-53. Holliday redeemed himself with a layup with 49 seconds left. The Bishops stole the ball away on the next Wabash possession, getting another three from Teeters to trim the lead to four. Chase Haltom drilled two free throws on the next possession before Teeters added two more points with another layup with 12 seconds remaining.
After Wes Smith hit one of two free throw attempts to put the Little Giants up five, Cafarella scored his final points of the game on a drive through the left side of the lane. Zimmer put the game away with two more free throws, moving Wabash into a tie in the conference standings with OWU at 3-2.
Brock led the Little Giants with 12 points. Zimmer, Simkus, and Haltom each had 11. Smith played through a pulled muscle suffered early in the game to score 10 points. Zimmer also had 10 rebounds to post his ninth career double-double and fourth of the season.
Cafarella led OWU (8-5, 3-2 NCAC) with 17 points. Jean finished with 13, and Teeters had 10.
Wabash (9-5, 3-2 NCAC) travels to Oberlin College Saturday afternoon. Tipoff for the game at Philips Gymnasium has been moved to 1 p.m.
Photos - (top left) Aaron Brock finished with 12 points and five boards to help Wabash to a five-point win over OWU.
(Bottom right) Chase Haltom was one of five Wabash players in double figures in the Little Giants' win Wednesday night.