Ryan Snyder passes around John Carroll's Corey Shontz during first-half action Tuesday night.

WOOSTER, Ohio – The College of Wooster only trailed for one possession all game, that coming early in the first half, but also was never able to pull away from fellow traditional northeast Ohio power John Carroll University as the Fighting Scots battled their way to an 89-76 victory Tuesday night at Timken Gymnasium as part of the "Mose" Hole/Wooster Kiwanis Classic.

Both teams were in the preseason national rankings, and while John Carroll (7-4) has slipped out of the top-25, the Blue Streaks pushed No. 1 Wooster (10-0) as has come to be expected in this regional rivalry. The two have met in the NCAA Div. III Championships five times since 1996, and last year, John Carroll edged the Scots 71-63 during a regular season match-up.

After the Blue Streaks scored six unanswered to take an 8-7 advantage, Wooster strung together a 14-3 run with six points coming from Ian Franks. That turned out to be the Scots' lone double-digit cushion of the opening half, as they wound up ahead 50-44 at the break, thanks to Franks' 23 points on 9-of-11 field goals.

Both offenses were cool early in the second before Wooster broke through for nine points during a four-possession stretch, building its biggest lead of the evening at 61-46.

It would remain at least a three-possession game until John Carroll's Joey Meyer hit a trio of 3-pointers, helping chip a 71-59 deficit down to 75-69 with 4:00 remaining. Despite two offensive possessions to do so, the Blue Streaks would not get any closer and the momentum went back to the Scots when they collected back-to-back offensive rebounds and then got a bucket in the paint from Franks for a 77-69 lead at the 2:20 mark.

Wooster weathered one last John Carroll rally when Meyer had a rare misfire on an open 3-ball, which could have brought the score within five with 1:04 to play. Instead, the Scots sealed the outcome by draining 6-of-6 free throws during the last minute.

Statistically, Wooster finished right around its season averages with a .534 offensive field-goal percentage (31-for-58), a .359 rate on the defensive end (23-for-64), and a +14 rebounding advantage (43-29).

Franks led all players with 28 points and Justin Hallowell chipped in 19, and they shared top honors in rebounding with seven apiece. Nathan Balch added 16 points, while Josh Claytor came through with a season-high 13 on 6-of-7 field goals during 23 effective minutes.

Meyer's 5-of-9 effort from beyond the arc helped put him at 23 points in the setback, while Maurice Haynes tossed in 17 on the inside before fouling out.

Earlier Tuesday evening, Spalding University upended Wilmington College 70-66, behind DeWhon McAfee's 27-point effort. Antonio Brown stood out for the Quakers with 23 points, six rebounds, and six assists.

In predetermined match-ups, Wooster will play host to Wilmington Wednesday in the nightcap, with John Carroll and Spalding tipping things off at 5:30 p.m., as the 48th annual "Mose" Hole Classic comes to a conclusion.