Tigers Take Down League-Leading Denison

SPRINGFIELD, OH - For the second time since the start of the new year, Wittenberg Men's Basketball has toppled a league-leader on the Tigers' home floor in Pam Evans Smith Arena.

The latest victim was defending North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) champion Denison, which couldn't keep pace with Wittenberg in the second half of a 71-57 Tiger victory. Wittenberg pulled off a similar feat on Jan. 21 when then-league leading Wabash absorbed a 73-65 defeat against the Tigers.

The Wittenberg win has helped to create quite a logjam at the top of the league standings. Heading into the final two weeks of the regular season, Denison holds a slim lead at 9-3, followed by John Carroll at 9-4, Wittenberg and Wabash at 8-4, and DePauw at 8-5.

Trailing 7-6 in the early going, Wittenberg went on an 11-0 run to take charge of the game. There were six more ties the rest of the way, but the Tigers always had the answers, especially over the final seven minutes as Wittenberg slowly pulled away, in part due some outstanding marksmanship at the free throw line.

Wittenberg shot 47.6% from the field and 81.1% from the free throw line. Wittenberg scored 13 more points from the charity stripe in the game than the visitors, making a whopping 30-of-37.

Four Wittenberg players reached double digures offensively in the game, led by Tyler Galluch (Springfield, OH / Catholic Central) with 17 points. He was 4-of-5 from the field and a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line as he repeatedly drew fouls as he twisted and turned in the lane seeking an opening to the basket.

Noah Frayer (Odenton, MD / SPIRE Academy) bounced back from a tough shooting night against DePauw on Wednesday to finish with 14 points. Like Galluch, Frayer did most of his damage from the free throw line with eight conversions in nine attempts.

Eddie Brown (Lewis Center, OH / Olentangy Orange) stuffed the stats sheet with 10 points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists despite being limited to 22 minutes due to foul trouble. In his place, Sam Miller (Ashville, OH / Teays Valley) came off the bench to contribute a career-high 15 points and four rebounds. He also cashed in at the free throw line to the tune of 7-of-8.

The Tigers are back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Kenyon, followed by the annual Senior Recognition Day game on Saturday, Feb. 14, back home in Springfield against Oberlin. The schedules closes with road trips to Wabash and John Carroll.

Written By: Ryan Maurer