Posted February 7 2001, 10:05 pm
Posted by: Ryan Maurer
SPRINGFIELD - The Wittenberg University men's basketball team enjoyed a record-breaking 10th consecutive victory on Wednesday at the HPER Center, crushing the visiting Wabash College Little Giants 97-73. The Tigers, who drained a school record 19 three-pointers in the game as seven different players nailed shots from long range, improved to 18-2 overall this season and 11-1 in the North Coast Athletic Conference.
Leading the way, as usual, was senior forward Ryan Taylor (Waynesfield, Ohio/Goshen). In just 23 minutes of action, Taylor hit 9-of-13 shots from the field (6-of-8 from three-point range) and finished with 24 points. In the process, Taylor became just the 10th player in Wittenberg history to surpass 1,300 points in his career.
While he was the team's leading scorer for the 15th time in 20 games this year, Taylor had plenty of help. Senior center Chris Fillmore (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton) had one of the finest all-around games in Wittenberg history, scoring 10 points (including a pair of three-pointers, his first of the season), grabbing 11 rebounds and distributing eight assists. Wittenberg has never had a triple-double in school history.
Also scoring in double figures were sophomore forward Kevin Longley (Vandalia, Ohio/Butler), who added 10 points and six rebounds, and junior guard Greg Rustad (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood), who chipped in with 12 points and three assists. In addition, freshman guard Rod Emmons (South Bend, Ind./John Adams) canned three 3-pointers in just nine minutes off the bench to record a career-high nine points.
The Tigers improved to 11-0 at home on the season, and they have a chance to finish with a perfect regular season home mark on Saturday against Allegheny. The Gators will provide the opposition for Senior Day festivities, at which time Wittenberg's four seniors - Taylor, Fillmore, guard Kyle Krauss (Deshler, Ohio/Patrick Henry) and guard Alex Welp (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) - will be honored.
GAMBIER, Ohio - Meanwhile, the other Wittenberg basketball team hit the road on Wednesday night and the women's team came away with a hard-fought, come-from-behind victory over defending NCAC tournament champion Kenyon 56-54.
The Tigers trailed 30-27 at halftime but rallied in the second half behind sophomore guard Kate Rolf (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Carroll) and her 13 points and six rebounds. Rolf, who leads the Tigers in scoring, rebounding and assists this year, was supported on the offensive end by sophomore forward Tiffany Keller (Massillon, Ohio/Tuslaw), who contribued nine points.
The win improved Wittenberg to 14-7 overall and 8-5 in the NCAC. It also kept alive hopes for the Tigers to finish in the top four in the final league standings in order to earn a first-round tournament home game on Feb. 20. The Tigers are in a pitched battle with Earlham and Denison for one of those four first-round home games.
Wittenberg next travels to Delaware, Ohio to face traditional rival Ohio Wesleyan. The Bishops, the preseason conference favorite who compiled a 23-3 record a year ago, are also in the mix atop the league this year. The Tigers have three regular season games remaining as they will return home next week to host Denison on Feb. 14 and Wooster on Feb. 17.