Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 80, Springfield 66

Junior post Grant Gossard (Westerville/Olentangy Orange) scored 10 points during the first half as Ohio Wesleyan pulled away for a win over Springfield in the first round of the Midway Classic, hosted by the University of Chicago on Saturday in Chicago.

Ohio Wesleyan will face the host Maroons, a 51-45 winner over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in Saturday's other first-round game, in the Midway Classic championship game on Sunday.

Springfield had taken a 6-5 lead on a 3-pointer by Heath Post before the Bishops reeled off the next 8 points, getting 3-pointers from junior guard Jaret Gerber (Worthington/Thomas Worthington) and Gossard and a steal-and-lay-in from junior guard Tristin Tillman (Bellefontaine).

Freshman wing Ethan Stanislawski (Massillon/Jackson) and sophomore wing Dawsin Tillman (Bellefontaine) had 3-pointers during a 9-0 run that extended the Bishop lead to 22-9 just past the midway point of the first half, and Ohio Wesleyan would go on to lead by as many as 18 points before taking a 41-25 lead into the locker room.

The Pride rallied during the second half, putting together a 13-0 run that included a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws by Kendall Baldwin and 4 free throws by Post, 4 more free throws by Post helped Springfield close to within 63-55 with 6:08 left in regulation time, and a 3-point play by Trey Witter made it 67-61 with 4:06 to go.

Gerber answered with a 3-pointer on Ohio Wesleyan's ensuing possession, and freshman post Nick Carlson (Dublin/Coffman) knocked down a pair of 3-pointers down the stretch as the Bishops pushed the lead back into double figures.

Gossard led the Bishops with 18 points and 9 rebounds, while freshman wing Gabe Johnson (Chicago, Ill./Wheaton St. Francis) finished with 15 and Carlson had 11 points and a team-high 4 assists.

Post led Springfield with 25 points.

Box Score