Wabash hit only 13-of-42 shots from the field and was 4-of-15 from the three-point arc. The Little Giants hit more free throws than baskets, hitting 17-of-24 from the charity stripe.
The field goal shooting in the first half was as cold as the single-digit temperatures outside the HPER. Wabash scored the first three points of the game at the free throw line, the only points scored by either team in the first five minutes of the game. It was a trend that would, unfortunately for the Little Giant fans that made the trek to Springfield, continue throughout the first half.
Wabash would score just 15 points in the first 20 minutes of play. Sophomore David Wagner connected on 1-of-2 shots from the three-point arc to lead the Little Giants in the opening stanza with three points. Junior Matt Storm came off the bench also had three points. Joe DesJean was an uncharacteristic 1-of-6 from the field, while fellow senior Brady Claxton was 0-for-3 in the first half. The Little Giants hit just 5-of-21 shots from the field in the first half for 23.8-percent.
The Tigers started out just as cold from the field, not scoring their first points until the 12:42 mark of the first half on two Daniel Russ free throws. The Tigers’ first basket wouldn’t come until a three-pointer by Kenny Molz made it a 5-4 game in favor of Wabash with 12:27 left in the opening period. But Wittenberg warmed up in the later minutes of the half, capitalizing on nine offensive rebounds and 10 Wabash turnovers to take a 27-15 halftime lead.
The start of the second half wasn’t any better. A single free throw by Chris Water gave Wabash its only point in the first four minutes of the second period, while Wittenberg added to its lead. Wabash’s only points in the first six minutes would come from the free throw line on charity tosses from Jesse Burgess and DesJean. The Tigers, meanwhile, jumped out to a 36-18 lead.
That’s when Claxton canned his first basket of the night on a three-point shot from the top of the arc with 14:30 remaining to draw the Little Giants to within 15.
Wabash began a parade to the free throw line in the second half. Wittenberg picked up its seventh team foul with 14:00 left in the game, while Wabash had but two team fouls showing on the scoreboard. But Wabash was unable to trim the Tigers’ lead. Wittenberg would answer the Little Giant free throws with three-point baskets to move in front 44-23.
Trailing 50-30 with 8:00 left the Little Giants had hit just 7-of-30 tries from the field. The Tigers, meanwhile, found their shooting range by connecting on 10-of-19 shots in the second half.
Wabash was forced to try and come back without its leading scorer when DesJean fouled out with just over six minutes left in the game and the Little Giants down by 22. The comeback was not to be. Wabash would get no closer than 15, losing only its fourth game of the season and second in North Coast Athletic Conference play.
Wabash was outrebounded 44-26 in the game, including 16 offensive boards by the Tigers.
Storm paced the Little Giants with nine points. Wagner added seven. Claxton scored six points, while DesJean, Eric Buck, and Zeljko Gavranovic each added five.
The Little Giants will look rebound on Saturday, January 25 at Chadwick Court against Kenyon College. Tipoff for the varsity contest is set for 3 p.m. The day begins with a junior varsity contest against DePauw University at 11 a.m., followed by the annual Alumni Game at 1 p.m.