Wittenberg Overwhelms Denison To Remain Perfect in NCAC
The Wittenberg Tigers put the defensive clamps down on the visiting Denison Big Red in a 74-29 victory at the HPER Center. It was the lowest point total for a Wittenberg opponent since 1992 when Defiance dropped a 76-28 decision to the Tigers, also in Springfield.
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers put the defensive clamps down on the visiting Denison Big Red in a 74-29 victory at the HPER Center. It was the lowest point total for a Wittenberg opponent since 1992 when Defiance dropped a 76-28 decision to the Tigers, also in Springfield.
The win, Wittenberg's sixth straight, improved the Tigers to 10-3 overall and 4-0 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Denison, which hasn't won in Springfield since 1954 and has now dropped 15 straight to the Tigers overall, fell to 3-10 and 1-3 in the NCAC.
After about six minutes of closely contested basketball, this game was not in doubt. Starting with a jumper by senior forward Peter Walker (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier)at the 14:35 mark of the first half that gave the Tigers the lead for good and followed by a three-pointer by freshman guard Pat Denbow (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier), Wittenberg went on a 13-0 run and held Denison scoreless for more than 11 minutes. In the second half, Wittenberg poured it on after taking a 31-14 lead into the locker room. The Tigers scored the first six points of the second stanza and buried the Big Red with 52 percent shooting.
Wittenberg put four players in double figures, led by Walker's 15 points, five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore forward Kenny Brady (Reading, Ohio/Reading) was outstanding again with 12 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. And junior guards Andy Bucheit (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) and Danny Brywczynski (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) each chipped in with 10 points. Brywczynski, the team's starting point guard, enjoyed a second straight game without a turnover, showing that he has worked his way back into the flow after a broken hand in the preseason.
Denison shot just 27 percent from the field and was 3-of-25 from three-point range for the game, including a 1-of-16 performance in the second half. Chris Hull finished with nine points to lead the team offensively and Danny Hodgkinson added five rebounds to team honors. Wittenberg won the battle of the boards decisively, 43-24, and also committed just eight turnovers to Denison's 16.