WOOSTER, Ohio – The College of Wooster, with some help from Hiram College earlier in the day, collected its seventh outright North Coast Athletic Conference championship in a row as the Fighting Scots held off a game group from Ohio Wesleyan University 81-72 Saturday night at Timken Gymnasium.
Wooster, ranked No. 5 in the NCAA Div. III poll (D3hoops.com), closes the regular season at 23-2 overall, including 14-2 in the conference standings, one-game ahead of Wittenberg University. The archrivals had entered the day tied for first-place and possibly headed to a coin flip to determine home-court advantage and seeding for next week's conference tournament. Instead, with Wittenberg's 87-65 loss at Hiram in the afternoon followed by the Scots' win, Wooster has earned the right to host, starting with the quarterfinals Tuesday.
Ohio Wesleyan (15-10, 11-5 NCAC), winners of 11 of it last 12 entering tonight, led for the majority of the opening half, including by as much as six points (15-9) and 28-27 at the break.
The Scots took the lead on the very first possession of the second stanza when Ian Franks drained a 3-pointer. The hosts didn't pull away by any means, though, as it remained a one-possession game for another eight minutes and then Justin Hallowell buried three 3-pointers during a stretch of five possessions for a 58-50 cushion.
The Battling Bishops never allowed the margin to reach double digits. In fact, they steadily chipped away, eventually pulling within three on three occasions – 65-62, 69-66, and 75-72. Wooster answered on the ensuing possession each time, though, and closed out another NCAC championship by making its final seven free throws.
In addition to seven in a row, the Scots increased their league-leading championship total to 14, with 11 coming over the last 14 years.
The difference Saturday was primarily field-goal percentage. Wooster connected on exactly half (27) of its 54 attempts and also was 50.0 percent from 3-point range (9-of-18), and its defensive effort limited Ohio Wesleyan to a rate of .375 (21-of-56), including just .273 outside (3-of-11). The Bishops did spend a lot of the night at the free throw line (.692; 27-of-39).
Four Scots reached double figures, including three seniors who were making their final regular season home appearance in Franks, Bryan Wickliffe, and Nathan Balch. Franks scored a game-high 25 points, and with his first basket, became just the seventh player in the program's storied history to reach 1,500 for a career. Wickliffe produced 17 points and Blach an even dozen.
Hallowell's hot hand, which included 5-of-6 3-point shooting, resulted in 15 points and he also grabbed a game-high seven rebounds. Also, Matt Fegan had a fine all-around effort with seven points, five boards, and five assists, leading all players in the latter category.
Andy Winters sparked the Bishops with 24 points, four assists, and three steals.
Tuesday's quarterfinal will see eighth-seeded Allegheny College (7-18) visit Wooster for a 7:30 p.m. tip. The Scots needed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to escape Allegheny 76-73 on Dec. 8 and then picked up the regular season sweep with an 88-56 victory Jan. 19.