Tigers Hold Off Oberlin To Keep Pace In NCAC Title Chase

OBERLIN, Ohio - Three Tigers scored in double figures and Wittenberg knocked down 8-of-12 free throws over the final 58 seconds to hold off host Oberlin for a 70-63 victory.

The win moved the 22nd-ranked Tigers to 17-4 overall, but more importantly Wittenberg improved to 11-3 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). The Tigers and Ohio Wesleyan trail Wooster by one game with four left to play in the regular season.

Wittenberg led nearly the entire way against Oberlin after the Yeomen scored the game's first basket. The Tigers led 34-23 at the half after junior Sam Collins (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) hit a jumper just before the buzzer, but Wittenberg was never able to put the game out of reach over the final 20 minutes.

Collins made another jumper at the 10:23 mark of the second half to stake Wittenberg to a 13-point advantage, but the Yeomen worked the lead down to four points with 31 seconds remaining. From that point, however, Wittenberg hit six of its last eight free throws to hold on for the victory.

Wittenberg shot 44 percent from the field, compared to 43 percent for the Yeomen. The difference in the game was Wittenberg's three-point shooting, as the Tigers made 8-of-19 from long distance, compared to just 2-of-16 for Oberlin.

Senior Zack Leahy (Rossford, Ohio/Rossford) led the Tigers with 16 points, following up well on his 27-point outburst at Ohio Wesleyan three days earlier. Leahy also contributed four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Senior Scott Masin (New Carlisle, Ohio/Bethel) added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Tigers, who lost the battle of the boards for just the second time all season (37-34). Collins also offered a fine stats line as he finished with 12 points, six rebounds and four assists.