Nathan Balch

The College of Wooster had a chance to tie or go ahead with about a minute to go in its game Monday night at No. 6 ranked Randolph-Macon College, but the Fighting Scots committed the first of three late turnovers down the stretch and ultimately fell 72-65 in the championship game of the Briggs Elliott Tournament at Ashland, Va.

For Wooster (5-4), ranked 23rd in the most recent D3hoops.com, it was a third loss to a top-10 team already this season, also having fallen 71-63 to then-No. 2 John Carroll University on Nov. 29 as well as 84-53 to then-No. 4 University of St. Thomas (Minn.) on Nov. 21.

Randolph-Macon (8-0) led for all but one possession, but the Scots stayed close throughout and were down just 67-65 after a couple of Nathan Balch free throws at the 1:39 mark. Then, Wooster induced an offensive foul on the Yellow Jackets with 1:19 remaining, but a traveling call cost the Scots an opportunity before they could even up a potential game-tying or take-the-lead shot.

Wooster proceeded to foul Calvin Croskey with 40.2 seconds left and he converted both ends of a one-and-one opportunity to make it a two-possession game (69-65). Another Scot turnover followed, but they were given one last chance when Randolph-Macon missed the front end of another one-and-one at the 20.8 mark.

A quick pull-up jumper would not fall for Wooster and Kevin Voelkel all but sealed the outcome by making two free throws for a 71-65 cushion.

Early on, the Yellow Jackets quickly constructed a 13-4 advantage and stayed in front the whole opening half, including 38-30 at the break. They also started the second with a burst, using a mini 5-2 run to take their biggest lead of the contest (43-32), but the Scots clawed back, first cutting the lead to one with 10 unanswered points, capped by a Justin Hallowell 3-pointer.

After Randolph-Macon built the margin back to eight (50-42), Wooster would add a 10-1 run to take what turned out to be its only lead at 52-51. The Yellow Jackets' Eric Pugh responded on the next series with a quick 3-pointers and they eventually held on for the win.

The difference in the game was the Scots' turnovers, as they finished with 19 miscues to the Yellow Jackets' 14. Wooster won the rebounding battle 37-30, while the remaining statistics were very even.

The Scots put three in double figures during the championship game, led by Balch's 15 points. Hallowell had 11, including 3-of-7 3-point shooting, after a season-high 24 points on Sunday, and Bryan Wickliffe chipped in 10.

For Randolph-Macon, Jordan Brown made 4-of-5 3-balls en route to a game-high 20 points and Pugh finished with 14 points, including four more 3-pointers (4-of-10), as well as six steals.

Ian Franks, who had a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds during Sunday's win before fouling out of the championship, and Hallowell were Wooster's representatives on the all-tourney team.

The Scots now turn their attention back to North Coast Athletic Conference play, as they welcome Wabash College (4-4, 0-1 NCAC) to Timken Gymnasium for a key game Sunday at 2 p.m. It will serve as a rematch of the 2009 NCAC Tournament title game, which Wooster won 84-72.