Wabash watched a 15-point lead with seven minutes to play dwindle to five before outscoring Oberlin 9-2 in the closing minute of a 59-47 win over the Yeomen. For photos, click here and here.
Leading 50-43 with less than three minutes left, neither team would score until Josh Merritt hit a driving layup with 1:13 left to play to trim the lead to five points. Wabash took advantage of a double technical foul called on Merritt after the basket that gave Aaron Brock four free throw attempts. The Wabash senior hit three of the four, starting a parade to the free throw line by the Little Giants. Wes Smith and Brock hit the final six free throws of the game to give Wabash is 15th victory of the season.
The Little Giants survived one of their worst shooting halves of the season, hitting seven out of 23 shots in the final period after connecting on just 10 of 29 shots in the opening period. Oberlin led by as many as six points in the opening minutes of the game before a Chase Haltom three-pointer gave Wabash a 13-12 advantage. Haltom (right) added three more treys to close out the half to help the Little Giants to a 26-23 lead at the break.
Wabash finished the game shooting 32.7 percent (17-of-52). The Little Giants were 6-of-25 from beyond the three points arc and 19-of-28 from the free throw line. Oberlin shot well throughout the contest, finishing 20-of-43 from the field for 46.5 percent. The Yeomen were just 2-of-10 from three-point range and 5-of-11 from the free throw line.
Brock finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season and eighth of his career. Smith (below left) added 17 points and six boards. Haltom scored 12 points in the win.
Andrew Fox paced Oberlin (6-17, 2-12 NCAC) with 14 points.
Wabash (15-7, 10-4 NCAC) remains in a tie for second place with Allegheny College and Wittenberg University in the NCAC standings heading into the final week of regular season play. The Gators defeated Denison 85-79 Saturday afternoon. Wittenberg stayed even as well with a 67-56 win at Wooster.