Basketball

Schippert’s three lifts Wabash to win at OWU

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DELAWARE, Ohio —A Gavin Schippert three-pointer with 2:26 remaining gave Wabash a one-point edge and erased Ohio Wesleyan’s only lead of the night. Vinny Buccilla followed with another three-point to help the visiting Little Giants to a 78-70 road North Coast Athletic Conference victory over the host Battling Bishops.

With the victory, Wabash improves to 9-6 overall and 5-1 in NCAC games. Ohio Wesleyan is 8-7 overall and 3-3 in NCAC contests.

Wabash matched its season high by making 12 three-point baskets. The Little Giants connected on 46.2 percent of their 26 long-range shots. Wabash made 28 of 59 shots in the game for 47.5 percent shooting. The Little Giants dominated the boards, grabbing a season-best 42 rebounds, including 13 offensive boards, while limiting OWU to 22 rebounds.

The Little Giants took a 37-29 lead at halftime and extended it to an 11-point advantage on a Rich Brooks triple to open the final 20 minutes of play. The advantage hovered around double-digits with Schippert scoring a triple to give Wabash a 46-36 edge with 17:36 left to play. The Battling Bishops responded with a 14-7 run over the next four minutes to draw even at 50-50. Randy Kelley put Wabash back in front with his lone three-point basket of the game.

Ohio Wesleyan drew within one point at 56-55 before Josh Whack scored on a pull-up jumper, and Buccilla drilled a three-pointer to give the Little Giants a 61-55 advantage with 8:13 on the game clock. Wabash clung to a one-point lead after the Battling Bishops closed in before baskets from Nate Matelic and Schippert, and a free throw by Kelley pushed the advantage to 66-60 at the 4:42 mark.

Jessee Battle connected on a three-pointer for OWU, and Henry Hinkle added two free throws to make it a one-point game. Hinkle followed a minute later with a three-point basket to give the Battling Bishops a 68-66 lead with 3:09 left to play.

Wabash missed a jump shot on its next possession but grabbed the offensive rebound and found Schippert on the left wing for a wide-open three-pointer. The junior drilled the shot to put the Little Giants back in front by one. The Battling Bishops missed a triple on their ensuing offensive trip before Whack hit two free throws to put Wabash up 71-68. Another missed three-pointer by the Bishops came before Buccilla iced the game with his fourth triple of the game, giving Wabash a 74-68 advantage with less than a minute remaining. Buccilla added a pair of free throws in the closing minute, and Kelley’s final layup with 22 seconds left secured the eight-point victory.

Buccilla finished with 18 points to lead the Little Giants on offense. Whack tossed in 14 points. Schippert added 13 points and ten rebounds, and Brooks scored 11 points. Noah Hupmann also snared ten rebounds for the Little Giants.

Hinkle led OWU with 18 points. Battle added 14 points. Isaac Ward and Tony Carter each chipped in 12 points.

The Little Giants return to Chadwick Court on Saturday with a 2 p.m. contest against the Kenyon College Owls as part of the Wabash basketball alumni weekend.


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