DELAWARE, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan University men's basketball team hosted Baldwin Wallace Saturday evening, aiming for their third consecutive victory. The Battling Bishops got off to a slow start, quickly falling behind the Yellow Jackets 14-2 and digging themselves a sizable early deficit. OWU rallied in the second half, narrowing the gap to just one point, but they ultimately couldn't overcome the early setback, falling 81-70.

Ohio Wesleyan drops to 5-9 on the season and 2-3 in the NCAC. Baldwin Wallace improves to 4-10 overall and 1-4 in the OAC.

The Red and Black struggled early, connecting on just one shot in the first five minutes of play. Eight minutes into the contest, the Bishops trailed 28-10. However, OWU began to find their rhythm, outscoring the Yellow Jackets 30-19 over the rest of the half, paced by seven points from James McCarthy and six apiece from Jessee Battle and Peyton Frey. BWU took a 45-40 advantage into halftime. 

After the break, Baldwin Wallace bolstered their lead with a 11-4 run, and the Bishops found themselves in a hole once again. When their offense was needed most, the Red and Black delivered their best stretch of the game, going on a 16-5 run fueled by five points each from Jessee Battle and Jake Lowman, bringing the Bishops within one and poised to take their first lead of the day. However, BWU answered with a 9-2 run of their own and steadily extended their lead for the remainder of the game. The Bishops were unable to respond, falling 81-70.

THE NUMBERS
Peyton Frey finished with a team-high 16 points and six rebounds. He also tallied two assists. 

Jessee Battle followed closely with 15 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. 

Jake Lowman also recorded 15 points, including a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc and 6-of-7 from the field. Lowman tacked on four assists, two steals, and one rebound.

James McCarthy was the fourth and final Bishop in double digits, finishing with 13 points. He added four rebounds. 

Kevin Gallagher had six points – stemming from two threes – along with two assists and one rebound. 

Phil Wallace scored three points. 

Anthony Mordini contributed two points and four rebounds. 

UP NEXT
The Bishops will resume conference play on Wednesday, as they travel to Wabash for a 7 p.m. tipoff.