Tigers Slip Past Yeomen in 65-62 NCAC Victory

OBERLIN, Ohio—Riding a four game winning streak through the winter holiday break, the Tigers returned to NCAC action with a road matchup against the Yeomen of Oberlin College. Coming into the game at 2-2 in the conference, the match against the 1-9 Yeomen served as a chance for the Tigers to get above .500 in the league, and back in the hunt for a regular season NCAC title. Behind 18 Cody Phillippi points, the Tiger were able to fend off the Yeomen 65-62. Wittenberg attempted 31 free throws in the game, as the Yeomen chucked up 23 three-pointers in the NCAC game. Wittenberg returns to action at Hiram on January 7 as NCAC play rolls on.

• Clinging to a two-point lead at halftime, Wittenberg had a chance to run away with the game in the first half, leading by as many as 12 with ten minutes to play in the opening period.
• Phillippi chipped in 10 of his 18 points in the first half, knocking down two three-pointers early on for the red and white.
• Wittenberg got off to a fast start in the second half after a Shane Edwards steal led to a layup, as the Tigers forced Oberlin into 18 turnovers in the game.
• Wittenberg shot 71% from the free-throw line, sending 22 of their 31 attempts through the bottom of the net, while the equalizer on Wednesday night was Oberlin's sharp-shooting backcourt who combined for 10 three-pointers.
• Oberlin made 20 field goals in the game, 10 of them coming from deep, while Wittenberg produced 19 field goals with five coming from three-point land.
• The Tigers bench chipped in 30 points on Wednesday, as Michael Morgan Jr. paced the Tigers with a career high eight points.

FROM THE COACH

• "Proud of the guys for battling and finding a way to grind one out. It's hard to win on the road in this league. We'll take it! Cody really played well and Mike Morgan had a huge stretch late in the second half," said Coach Croci. 

UP NEXT

• Wittenberg returns to action against the Terriers of Hiram on January 7 at 1:00PM at Hiram.