After seeing a 17-point second half lead evaporate and facing the prospect of an 0-2 start, the Wittenberg Tigers showed some mettle and pulled out a hard-fought 69-63 decision against visiting Capital.

A week after a season-opening 92-84 loss to nationally ranked NAIA powerhouse IU-East, the Tigers appeared to be well positioned to bounce back with a comfortable victory after sophomore Zack Leahy (Rossford, Ohio/Rossford) made a lay-up at the 16:54 mark of the second half. But over the next 10 minutes, the Tigers scored just four points, and after Capital's Kelly Winter hit two free throws the Crusaders had their first lead of the game at 51-50 at the 7:26 mark.

It turned out to be Capital's only lead of the night. Senior Clayton Black (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) scored the next four points to spark a strong Tiger finish. Wittenberg pushed the lead out to as many as seven points and then held off a final push from the Crusaders, who hit a three-pointer with 32 seconds left to shave the deficit to three before the Tigers made three of their last four free throws to secure the victory.

The win pushed the Tigers to 1-1 in the early going of the 2011-12 season, while Capital dropped to 2-1. Wittenberg has another week off before hitting the road for the first time this year against sixth-ranked Marietta at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29.

Wittenberg shot 50 percent from the field, including 16-of-28 in the first half as the Tigers built a 15-point cushion. Capital shot 41 percent — both teams made seven three-pointers in the game.

Three Wittenberg players finished with 13 points in the game — Black, senior Josh McKee (New Carlisle, Ohio/Tecumseh) and sophomore Scott Masin (New Carlisle, Ohio/Bethel). McKee was making his first appearance of the 2011-12 season after breaking multiple school and conference receiving records during the 2011 football season, while Masin posted his first career double-double with 10 rebounds to go along with his scoring.