Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 76, La Roche 65

Sophomore guard Isaac Ward (Circleville/Logan Elm) and junior wing David Rice (Cleveland/Parma Padua Franciscan) scored 4 points apiece during an 11-0 first-half run that helped Ohio Wesleyan pull away for a non-conference win over La Roche on Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

Freshman wing Aidan Schmidt (Dublin/Coffman) hit a 3-pointer to break a 14-14 tie and put the Bishops ahead to stay, and baskets by senior guard Joey Duke (Marysville) and Schmidt, followed by a 3-pointer from sophomore wing Jessee Battle (Gahanna/Lincoln), increased the margin to 24-16.

The Redhawks closed to within 31-28 on a 3-pointer by Joe Starzynski with 5:49 left in the first half, but the Bishops answered with a 3-point play from junior guard Henry Hinkle (Powell/Olentangy Liberty).  Ward and Rice each contributed a pair of hoops as Ohio Wesleyan built a 42-28 lead with 30 seconds left in the first half.

Midway through the second half, La Roche pulled within 60-51 after buckets by Bryce Epps and Dawson Summers only to see the Bishops counter with a 9-0 burst that included lay-ins by Hinkle and Rice, a lay-in by senior post Cole Metzler (Canal Winchester), and a 3-pointer from Battle, and the Ohio Wesleyan lead would remain in double digits for the remainder of the contest.

Ward led the Bishops with 19 points.  Hinkle scored 16, Rice finished with 14, and Battle added 10 points.  Senior post Tony Carter (Cleveland/Parma Heights Holy Name) posted team bests of 11 rebounds and 4 assists.

Box Score