The College of Wooster, the No. 1 ranked team in NCAA Div. III, survived another close game, this time pulling out a 79-77 comeback victory Sunday afternoon versus Baruch College in Daytona Beach, Fla., on the second day of Embry-Riddle University's Bahama House/Best Western Aku Tiki Shootout.
Wooster is now one win shy of matching its best start in team history, held by the 2004-05 team at 14-0. Seven of this year's 13 victories have come since the Fighting Scots gained the No. 1 ranking, and three of those have come down to the final seconds – a 76-73 buzzer-beater at Allegheny College Dec. 8, an 86-79 decision over Wilmington College on Dec. 29, and Sunday's thriller.
Tammer Farid of Baruch (6-5), which nearly knocked off No. 9 Middlebury College earlier this season before taking a 63-60 setback, connected on a 3-pointer to give his squad a four-point lead at 75-71 with about two minutes remaining.
The Scots' Ian Franks answered by driving into the lane and earning a trip to the free throw line, where he sunk both to pull within two. Farid would miss a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession and then Franks tied it up (75-75) via a two-point field goal.
Wooster appeared to have another defensive stop, but was whistled for a foul during a scramble for the loose ball, and Arki Wisnu dropped in a pair from the charity stripe to put the Bearcats back up on top (77-75).
Franks again had a response, evening the score one last time with a basket, which was followed by a Baruch turnover. During another loose-ball situation, Nathan Balch recovered the steal and was fouled, sending him to the free throw line for a one-and-one opportunity. The senior guard made both for what turned out to be the winning points.
The Bearcats did have enough time (26 seconds) for a final offensive possession. Farid attempted a pair of game-winning 3-pointers, but both were well contested by the Scots' defense and off the mark.
Neither squad led by more than six points during the match-up, which featured a number of lead changes (12) and ties (14). One of those six-point leads occurred at halftime, with Wooster up 42-36.
Franks' late six-point surge helped him reach 25 tallies in the scorebook, tying him for game honors with teammate Justin Hallowell, who hit 7-of-10 3-pointers. Franks also had a game-high nine rebounds, plus three assists, while Balch chipped in 11 points.
Wisnu came off the bench for 18 points to spark Baruch.
The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Scots, who next travel to No. 8 Wabash College (12-0) on Saturday for a 2 p.m. tip-off in Crawfordsville, Ind.