Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 79, Wabash 64

Junior guard Taylor Rieger (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange) scored 12 points as Ohio Wesleyan built a 19-point lead, and senior wing Vaughn Spaulding (Reynoldsburg) hit a timely 3-pointer to turn aside a Wabash rally as the Bishops defeated the Little Giants in North Coast Athletic Conference action on Wednesday at Branch Rickey Arena.

The Bishop win, combined with Wittenberg's loss to DePauw on Wednesday, seals the No. 2 seed in the upcoming NCAC tournament for Ohio Wesleyan.

Wabash led for the first 6-plus minutes of the game, but then Rieger got hot from outside, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to turn a 10-6 deficit into a 12-10 Bishop lead.  Senior guard Andy Winters (Columbus/Bishop Watterson) followed with a basket before Rieger drilled another pair of 3-pointers, and junior wing Dre White (Lima/Bath) hit a pair of free throws to give the Bishops a 22-10 lead with 10:16 left in the first half and cap a 16-0 run.

The Little Giants answered with an 11-0 run that included 3-pointers from Evan Johnson and Kasey Oetting, and Daniel Purvlicis' lay-in at the 7:31 mark pulled the visitors within 22-21.

Ohio Wesleyan closed out the half with an 8-0 burst, getting buckets from junior post Reuel Rogers (Columbus/Bexley) and senior post Marshall Morris (Tulsa, Okla./Jenks) before a pair of Winters baskets gave the Bishops a 40-28 lead at the break, and the Bishops opened the second half in similar fashion, taking on a Morris 3-point play, and a Rogers jumper to extend the margin to 45-28.

The Bishops still led, 61-47, with 7:36 left in regulation time when Wabash rallied with a pair of Andy Walsh 3-pointers and a trifecta from Evan Johnson to make it a 61-56 game with 5:43 to play.

On Ohio Wesleyan's next possession, Spaulding launched a 3-pointer to end that Wabash run, Rogers followed with a pair of free throws to push the lead back into double digits, and the Little Giants would not come closer than 8 points during the remainder of the contest.

Rieger led the Bishops with 21 points, while Morris finished with 13 points, and Winters and Rogers scored 12 points apiece.  Rogers led all players with 9 rebounds and Winters collected 8 assists.

Walsh and Johnson paced Wabash with 14 points apiece.

Box Score