Box Score
Denison 75, Ohio Wesleyan 74

Junior guard Henry Hinkle (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) sank a pair of free throws to tie the game at 71, but Denison retook the lead and withstood a potential game-winning shot to escape with a North Coast Athletic Conference win on Saturday at Branch Rickey Arena.

Ohio Wesleyan had taken a 65-57 lead on a 3-pointer by sophomore wing Isaac Ward (Circleville/Logan Elm) with 5:51 left in regulation time, but the Big Red responded with a 14-1 run that included a lay-in and a 3-pointer from Cameron Smith and concluded with an Aidan King lay-in that gave the visitors a 71-66 lead with 2:28 to go.

The Bishops bounced back with a Ward free throw and a bucket and a pair of free throws by Hinkle to knot the score at 71 with 1:22 remaining.

Denison's Gates Flynn sank a pair of free throws to give the Big Red a 73-71 lead, and it appeared that the Bishops had gotten the stop they needed when Smith misfired on a 3-pointer with :19 to play, but Big Red teammate Emmett Burnside chased down the offensive rebound and was fouled with :15 left.  Burnside sank both ends of the one-and-one for a 75-71 Denison lead.

Ward buried a 3-pointer with :09 remaining, and the Bishops fouled Denison's Aidan King with :05.4 to go.  King missed the front end of the one-and-one and senior post Tony Carter (Cleveland/Parma Heights Holy Name) snared the rebound, but Carter's outlet pass was knocked out of bounds by a Denison defender, using up a couple of key seconds.

The Bishops inbounded with :03.3 left, with Hinkle dodging a Denison defender and getting a look at a game-winning 3-pointer, but his shot was off the mark.

Ohio Wesleyan broke an 8-8 tie with a 13-1 run that included a 3-pointer from Hinkle and 2 by Carter on the way to a 21-9 lead.  The Big Red rallied to go up, 27-25, on a Nick Heath 3-pointer, but Ward got hot from long range, hitting a trio of 3-pointers during the final 4 minutes of the half to help the Bishops to a 43-36 halftime lead.  The Bishops shot 60 percent (9 of 15) from long distance during the first half, and continued that torrid clip early in the second half, with Hinkle drilling a pair of trifectas and Ward adding another for a 56-46 lead with 11:43 to play.  Ward's next 3-pointer provided Ohio Wesleyan with the 65-57 lead, setting up the thrilling conclusion.

Ward led the Bishops with a career-high 29 points, going 7-for-9 from downtown on the day.  Hinkle finished with 23 points and Carter grabbed a game-high 9 rebounds.

Box Score