MBB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[woosterbooster]

I wonder if the top seed has ever lost a first-round game in the NCAC?

[wooscotsfan]

Final: Wooster 59  DePauw 51 

A cold spell by Wooster and a couple of questionable calls helped DePauw tie up the game at 51-51.  Justin Hallowell then hit a huge three pointer with 37 seconds left and Wooster got a stop to control the finish.

Wooster was led by senior Justin Hallowell with 25 points and senior Matt Fegan with 12 points.

Top scorers for DePauw were Connor Rich with 16 points and Barry Flynn added 15 points.

Like Saturday, three pointers were a factor as the Scots made 9 compared to only 4 for the Tigers.

Wooster is now 22-4.    ....and hopefully they locked up at least a Pool C NCAA bid with tonight's win.

If Wooster can win the NCAC tourney, they might have a shot at hosting in the NCAA tournament.

[fantastic50]

Witt is up 11 in the final minute, so it looks like the Scots (and others) are headed to Springfield this weekend.

[David Collinge]

Denison really lays the wood to Wabash in the second half, winning the half 52-29 and the game 74-60.
Both Witt and OWU have late leads that they seem likely to hold.

Friday at the Pam:
Wooster vs. OWU
Denison vs. Wittenberg

[fantastic50]

Wabash's already-slim Pool C chances likely are gone with that loss, so the season ends sooner than expected for the LGs.

[smedindy]

Wabash held a 39-26 lead with 15:21 left in the game. Denison then got to work, tied the game in less than four minutes, and then blew past the Little Giants 74-60.

Larry Farmer and Dimonde Hale did work. Farmer had 28 points and 11 boards. Hale, 21 and 10. Derek Bailey led Wabash with 18, while Aaron Zinnerman added 14.

It's a tough way to end what was a great season by the Little Giants. They end 18-8 on the year. Congrats to Denison for putting a hurt on Wabash in the second half and advancing to the semi-finals.

[David Collinge]

Wittenberg 73, Kenyon 61
OWU 96, Hiram 86...OWU shot 55% and Brady had 33, but that was against Hiram's "defense"

[smedindy]

Kenyon had a lead for the first half of the final 20 minutes, but Wittenberg finally asserted itself and eased past the Lords 73-61. Clayton Black led the Old Tigers with 21 and Zach Leahy added 16. Ikenna Nwadibia led Kenyon with 18 points and 10 boards.

Ohio Wesleyan and Hiram played no defense, or so it seemed, but it was entertaining. The Bishops defeated the Terriers 96-86. Tim Brady scored 33 points to lead OWU, including a 15-17 mark at the line. Marshall Morris added 18 points and 10 boards. Jamaal Watkins scored 32 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Hiram. Alan Sheppard added 20.

So it's 1, 2, 3 and 5 on the final weekend, but the rest of the NCAC weren't pushovers tonight.

[pennstghs]

Wittenberg 73 Kenyon 61

Difference in this game was nothing really changed with Witt in the second half except better execution and playing a little more aggressively. The fact that Witt was able to pound it inside and get to the free throw line with ease helped as well. One of Kenyon's post players fouled out with 10+ minutes to go. The fact it was on a touch foul when banging was going on both ends had to upset Kenyon.

Should be a great weekend of basketball at "The Pam" Hopefully all teams bring their fan bases to have a great atmosphere. And hopefully Witt survives as well.

[BigRedFan]

CONGRATS TO THE BIG RED!!!!

You read it here FIRST when I said you DID NOT want to pull the Big Red in round one!!!!!

First tournament win since the 97-98 season!!!!!  HOW COOL IS THAT???

This game can be summed up in two words............ LARRY FARMER!!!   What a game....he had his OWN 17-0 run in the second half. 

For all those fans who have visited Wabash knows that one of their favorite chants is............."OHIO SUCKS"

Well I guess it REALLY does SUCK now, because your season is OVER!!!!  Keep "fightin"!!!

Sorry.......just had to say that!!!!

Witt's next...........no easy task but then again....NEVER SAY NEVER!!!!

Keep the dream alive Big Red!!!! 

[Pat Coleman]

Sorry.......just had to say that!!!!

Pretty sure you actually didn't have to.

[BigRedFan]

OUCH!!

Why do I think Pat has NEVER been to a Wabash game?

GO BIG RED!!!!!! 

[GoRed]

As a side note on the Denison vs. Wabash game, we saw something in the second half that we have rarely seen this year – relatively little substitution.  I think the fact that the players weren't subbed in and out as frequently allowed the team to get into more of a rhythm.  The result?  The Big Red had no turnovers for over 16 minutes of play and displayed better coverage on the defensive end since defenders had more time to get a feel for the player they were guarding.  Once Farmer went crazy and got the game back for us, that seemed to be a major factor in Denison's extending the lead and hanging on for the win.

Getting into a rhythm and staying loose will be keys to being able to beat Wittenberg in the next game.  Of course, we could always use another double, double-double by Farmer and Hale.  Regardless, I feel good about the Big Red's chances in the semis.  Their confidence is clearly high, and that's often all it takes.   

[smedindy]

Just because Wabash lost doesn't mean there won't be previews. Oh, you know it's true....

Games at Wittenberg:

#5 Denison (9-7, 13-13) vs. #1 Wittenberg (14-2, 21-5) - The only upset of the first round featured the Big Red defeating the once-nationally ranked Little Giants on Wabash's home floor. Well, that is actually a mild upset because Denison did the same thing earlier in the season. Wittenberg struggled for 30 minutes before turning on their inside game and beating Kenyon - just like their regular season matchup. Is past prologue? If so, the Big Red will stay close before falling to the Old Tigers. But in that game Larry Farmer played just 19 minutes due to fouls. If he plays 30+ it may be a different game. Denison needs to contain and control Witt's inside game, and hope Farmer and Dimonde Hale repeate their Tuesday performance. I am excepting a close one.

#3 Ohio Wesleyan (11-5, 20-6) @ #2 Wooster (12-4, 22-4) - Both teams eased past their opponents in the second half of their first round games, but I don't think 'easing past' will be in the vernacular Friday. Wooster beat OWU by four in each matchup this season, but even then the four point margin was deceiving as both games had just a one-point margin with less than a minute to go. In the first game the Bishops fought back from a double-digit lead by the Scots to take a lead, only to hit an untimely offensive slump. In the second game, OWU had amassed a double-digit lead while Tim Brady was on the bench due to foul trouble. Wooster then stormed back for the win. OWU needs to have Tim Brady do his thing, have someone else step up and score some points and avoid the slumps. The Scots need consistent scoring, not foul Brady and prevent another Bishops player from emerging as a scoring threat. Bring the popcorn!

[David Collinge]

You can see Larry Farmer's personal 17-0 run here.