Aaron Brock's career-high 22 points led Wabash to its sixth win in seven games with a 65-55 victory at Earlham Wednesday night. The sophomore forward added ten rebounds to record his first career double-double.
Brock (right) scored eight of the Little Giants' first ten points to put Wabash up 10-3 before the Quakers began to rally. Looking like anything but a team that had lost 13 consecutive games coming into the contest, Earlham began bombing three-pointers to erase the Little Giants' lead. After Andrew Zimmer's layup put Wabash up 13, Earlham responded with a 19-4 run to take a 21-20 lead. A layup by Brock put the Little Giants back in front, but the Quakers nearly doubled the Wabash scoring over the final four minutes of the half to take a 28-26 lead into the break.
After Earham scored more than half of its baskets from beyond the three-point arc in the first half by hitting 5-of-9 long range shots in the period, the Quakers started the second half with another three. Tristian Gregory, who led both teams with 24 points, drilled a trey to start the second period while giving Earlham its biggest lead of the game at five points.
Wabash hits it first three of the game after going 0-for-7 from beyond the arc when Gary Simkus answered Gregory's shot with one of his own to cut the lead to two. Nick Welsh scored to push the advantage back to four points before a layup and two free throws by Zimmer over the next minute tied the game at 33-33.
Zimmer ignited a 9-0 run that put Wabash in front by five with 13:45 left in the contest. Gregory nailed another three to bring the Quakers back to within two. Brock scored the next five points to make it a 43-36 contest.
The Quakers (2-14, 0-7 NCAC) eventually tied the game at 43-43 before another Wabash run --- this time an 8-0 run sparked by a driving left-handed floater by Evan Arnold --- put Wabash up with five minutes remaining. Earlham would get no closer than five points before the Little Giants got five more points by Brock in the closing minutes along with a couple of free throws to leave Richmond, Indiana with the win.
Simkus added 15 points and three assists in the winning effort. Zimmer finished with 14 points and eight boards.
Wabash (11-5, 5-2 NCAC) returns to Chadwick Court Saturday evening for a 7:30 p.m. contest against Denison University.
Photo - Senior Andrew Zimmer scores two of his 14 points in the first half.