Wabash efficiency undoes DePauw in race to top of NCAC

DePauw's Reph Stevenson throws down a dunk as the Tigers chased Wabash during the first half of Wednesday's NCAC meeting. The Tigers cut the lead to five on different occasions in the second half but could not get any closer as the Little Giants won 69-61.

Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

Sometimes in games, something on the stat sheet jumps off the page and tells the story.

Wabash made five more three pointers and 11 more free throws as the Little Giants outlasted the DePauw Tigers 69-61 to push Wabash into a tie for first in the NCAC men’s basketball standings.

It was a very tight defensive game to start. In this rivalry game, both squads were fired up as always and you could feel the intensity in the air.

With it a two-point game at 8-6, Wabash went on a 13-3 run to stretch the lead out to 13 at 22-9.

DePauw would start clawing its way back. Ronald Johnson had a five-point stretch and a four-point play from Kyle Lillwitz brought it back to a five-point game.

The lead got down to four after a Sam Jacobs basket, but a hoop from Ahmoni Jones made it 30-24 Wabash at the break.

The game seemed to follow a pattern the rest of the way. Vinny Buccilla scored 14 of the Little Giants’ first 16 points to open the second half, including four three balls.

The Tigers managed to stay within reach as Sam Jacobs was able to get to the rim multiple times, keeping the hosts within five.

The game continued to ebb and flow as Wabash would go up by as many as 10 and the Tigers would chip into the lead.

DePauw unfortunately could never get the big run to pull the game out. The Little Giants would put the game away from the foul line, getting the final eight points from the charity stripe, ending in a 69-61 victory.

Coming into the game, there was a four-way tie for second in the conference, but a loss by Wittenberg and Wabash’s win moved the Little Giants into a first place tie while DePauw remains a game out of first.

Team Stats

Individual Stats

Scoring - (D) Jacobs 17, Killwitz 12, Johnson 11, Stevenson 7, Washington 6 Gohmann 5, Brown 3; (W) Buccilla 15, Jones 11, Comer 10, Brooks 8, Whack 8, Beaver 7, Schippert 4, Metallic 4, Hupmann 2

Rebounding - (D) Stephenson 9, Washington 9, Brown 4, Jacobs 4, Kunka 3, Lillwitz 2, Johnson 2, Smith 2, Gohmann 1; (W) Comer 7, Jones 6, Schippert 6, Buccilla 6, Whack 5, Beaver 3, Hupmann 2, Brooks 2