Waters hit 10-of-12 shots in the game, including eight points down the stretch to help the Little Giants pull away and earn their eighth win of the season.
Wabash needed the effort by Waters and the rest of the Little Giants to fend off a tough Hiram squad. Twice the Little Giants jumped out to leads, once by seven in the first half and again by 11 in the second period. But the Terriers responded, thanks to the three-point shooting of Matt Kersten.
The Hiram defense held senior All-American Joe DesJean in check in the first half. The senior forward went scoreless in the first twenty minutes, but responded with 15 second-half points. Senior guard Brady Claxton added 18 points for Wabash.
Hiram took a one-point lead with 6:07 remaining in the contest, outscoring the Little Giants 13-2 midway through the period. Wabash responded with a run of its own down the stretch.
Trailing by one, DesJean exploded down the baseline, throwing down a basket from the right side to give Wabash the lead. Two layups by Waters and a three-point play by DesJean on a jumper and free throw put the Little Giants up 69-61 with 3:27 left in the contest. A jumper by Claxton with 2:42 put the game on ice, giving Wabash its fourth consecutive win going into Saturday’s game at Allegheny College.
Junior Matt Storm scored eight points in his first game back after suffering a season-ending knee injury before the start of last season. Sophomore David Wagner added nine points in the winning effort.