After a two game homestand, Wabash’s basketball team hits the road again 2 p.m. Sunday when it takes on North Coast Athletic Conference co-leader Wooster.
Already winning two road games (at Ohio Wesleyan 80-72 and at Kenyon 66-65), the Scots join Hiram and Denison with a perfect 2-0 record in league action. Wabash comes in looking for its first league win after opening NCAC action with a 78-71 loss at Denison on Dec. 5.
“We certainly don’t want to go in an 0-2 hole in the conference, but at the same time we know this is a long season,” Wabash coach Mac Petty said. “We have an opportunity and we are just going to try and take advantage of that opportunity.”
Because the students had final exams this week, Wabash is playing in its first game since Dec. 11, when it defeated DePauw 72-50. After going through a stretch where it lost three of four games, Wabash comes into Sunday on a two game winning streak and with a 4-4 record.
Wabash had open gyms on Monday and Tuesday, which most players attended. Wednesday was the team’s first real practice, the Thursday and Friday the players practiced for a little more than one hour. The Little Giants will have a short practice Saturday before leaving for Ohio.
“Practices have been going really well,” Petty said.
Wooster comes into the contest 5-4 and ranked No. 25 in the d3hoops.com poll. The Scots had a three game winning streak snapped with Monday’s 72-65 loss to No. 5-ranked Randolph-Macon in the championship game of the Briggs Elliott December Classic at Ashland, Va.
Four Scots average in double figures, with junior guard Ian Franks leading the way at 14.7 points per game. Sophomore forward Justin Hallowell averages 11.8 points a contest, while junior guard Nathan Balch averages 10.9 point sand junior forward Bryan Wickliffe averages 10.7 points. Franks (11), Hallowell (26) and Balch (17) have combined to hit 54 of Wooster’s 78 3-pointers on the season. The Scots have shot 220 3-pointers, averaging more than 24 a game.
“That is something we are going to have to concentrate on defending,” Petty said.
Wickliffe leads Wooster with 6.3 rebounds per game, while Franks averages 5.1 boards a contest.
Wabash also enters Sunday with a balanced attack featuring three players in double figures. Junior guard Wes Smith leads the way at 18.4 points per game. Senior guard Chase Haltom (above right) averages 12.9 points a contest, while senior forward Aaron Brock averages 10.6 points and a team high 7.3 rebounds per game.
Sunday will be a rematch of last year’s NCAC Tournament championship game, which Wooster won 84-72. The Scots advanced to the second round of the Division III Tournament, beating Gettysburg 79-66 in the opening round before losing at Capital 72-70 in the second round.
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