Wittenberg crushes Allegheny to advance to NCAC Tournament Title Game

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers know that despite winning every game since the calendar flipped 2003, they most likely will have to run the table in the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament to earn an invitation to the NCAA Division III Tournament. On Friday, in the semifinals against Allegheny, the Tigers left nothing to chance as they absolutely buried the Gators 95-27.

For the third straight time this season, Wittenberg could do little wrong against the overmatched No. 4 seeded Gators. Wittenberg jumped out to a 13-7 lead early in the first half and then closed it by scoring 43 of the next 49 points to go into the locker room with a commanding 56-13 advantage. The second half was no better as Wittenberg's reserves picked up where the starters left off and continue to harass Allegheny into turnovers that were converted into many easy baskets at the other end.

Individually, Wittenberg was led by senior guard Kate Rolf (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Carroll), who led all scorers with 19 points after she hit her first seven shots from the field. The only other Tiger player to reach double figures was senior guard Stephanie Campbell (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern), who added 12 points, five assists, four steals and eight rebounds, five of which were offensive.

Also turning in fine individual performances were junior forward Haley Warden (Loveland, Ohio/Indian Hill) with seven points, nine rebounds and four assists, junior guard Kari Kitchen (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) with five points and three assists and junior guard Christina Fischer (Norwood, Ohio/Cincinnati St. Ursula) with six points and three assists. Neither Kitchen or Fischer, the team's point guards, committed a turnover in the game.

As a team, Wittenberg shot 47 percent from the field and 48 percent from the three-point line. The Tigers won the rebounding battle 49-31 and forced 36 Allegheny turnovers, compared to just 16 for Wittenberg. The Gators' 27 points were a school record for offensive futility in a game and the margin of defeat was the second worst in Allegheny school history. No NCAC tournament records are kept on such things, but it is believed to be the biggest margin of victory in that area as well.

Next up for Wittenberg, winner of 18 straight games and owner of a sparkling 23-4 overall record, is an NCAC tournament championship re-match with Ohio Wesleyan, which has claimed the last two titles. In the 2002 title game, also played in Springfield, the Bishops rallied from a 20-point second half deficit to shock the top-seeded Tigers in overtime. Allegheny ended the season with a mark of 13-14 overall.