Wittenberg Shuts Down Wabash, 59-40; First-Place Showdown Set For Saturday At Wooster

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers tuned up for their road showdown at No. 1-ranked Wooster with a 59-40 victory over visiting Wabash College in the HPER Center.

The win was Wittenberg's seventh straight overall and also its seventh straight at home in 2004-05. Overall, Wittenberg, which hasn't lost a regular season North Coast Athletic Conference home game in five years, improved to 12-2 overall and 4-1 in the conference. Wabash, which has never beaten the Tigers in Springfield and dropped to 5-20 all-time against Wittenberg, fell to 7-7 overall and 4-1 in the NCAC.

The final score isn't indicative of just how one-sided this defensive struggle really was. Wittenberg scored the game's first eight points and took a commanding 30-13 lead into the locker room for halftime. The key was forcing the Little Giants into just 16 percent shooting from the field, including a 1-of-8 performance from three-point range. Then in the second half, neither team played what could be considered crisp basketball, but the lead never dipped below 15 points the entire anti-climactic 20 minutes.

The Tigers put four players in double figures as they displayed a solid offensive game in preparation for Saturday's road trip to Wooster, where the unbeaten and top-ranked Scots lie in wait. Junior post Daniel Russ led all players with 16 points and seven rebounds in 24 outstanding minutes. He was ably backed by junior wing Kenny Brady with 13 points in a season-high 23 minutes off the bench, junior post Dane Borchers with 11 points and five rebounds and senior wing Andy Bucheit with 10 points.

Wittenberg shot 49 percent from the field in the game and won the rebounding battle 36-30, although the Tigers matched Wabash with 17 turnovers. Wabash, on the other hand, managed just 30 percent shooting from the field for the entire game, including a 2-of-15 performance from beyond the arc, and even struggled from the free throw line as well with a 57 percent mark. The lone bright spot for the Little Giants was post Andrew Zimmer, who finished with 14 points and five boards in 23 minutes off the bench. He was the only Wabash post player to successfully penetrate the Tiger defense and either draw fouls or finish plays.

Now Wittenberg travels north for its annual grudge match with Wooster. The Tigers lead the series 46-37, including two wins in three tries a year ago. Wittenberg captured both regular season meetings before Wooster put it all together in the NCAC Tournament final, blowing the Tigers out on their home floor, 100-71. The Scots went on to reach the NCAA Division III Tournament quarterfinals, while Wittenberg bowed out in the second round at home to Ohio Athletic Conference champion and eventual Final Four participant John Carroll.