Box Score
Wittenberg 71, Ohio Wesleyan 59

Sophomore wing Jessee Battle (Gahanna/Lincoln) and sophomore wing Isaac Ward (Circleville/Logan Elm) hit 3-pointers that wiped out a 6-point deficit early in the second half, but Wittenberg pulled away with an 18-0 run on the way to a win over Ohio Wesleyan in a quarterfinal contest of the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament on Tuesday in Springfield. 

Ohio Wesleyan took an early 8-4 lead on a lay-in by senior post Tony Carter (Cleveland/Parma Heights Holy Name), and Wittenberg went up by a 17-13 count after a 3-point play by Cameron Harrison midway through the first half, but other than those 2 points, the remainder of the half was a one-possession game.

The Tigers led, 32-31, at the break and collected an Eddie Brown lay-in and a 3-pointer from Harrison during the opening minute of the second half to take a 37-31 lead before the trifectas from Battle and Ward knotted the game at 37.

The Bishops trailed, 41-39, after junior guard Henry Hinkle (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) sank a pair of free throws with 14:59 to play, but Wittenberg scored the next 18 points, with Trey Killins contributing a jumper and a pair of 3-pointers and Grayson Steury also knocking down a pair from long distance, the latter of which gave the hosts a 59-39 lead at the midway point of the period.

Ohio Wesleyan chipped away at the deficit, getting a dunk by junior wing David Rice (Cleveland/Parma Padua Franciscan) and a steal-and-fast-break 3-point play by Hinkle to close within 69-57, but the Bishops would not come closer than that 12-point margin.

Hinkle led the Bishops with 20 points, while Battle scored 11 points.  Carter had a team-high 8 boards and Rice and senior guard Joey Duke (Marysville) shared the team lead with 3 assists apiece.

Box Score