Ian Franks

WOOSTER, Ohio — The College of Wooster attempted a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but it was off the mark as Washington & Jefferson College upended the Fighting Scots 72-70 Friday night in an early-season battle between two teams picked to win their respective conferences. Washington & Jefferson advances to Saturday's championship game of the 15th annual Al Van Wie/Wooster Rotary Classic, while Wooster will be part of the consolation for just the second time in the event's history.

Friday's opener saw Randolph-Macon College, another preseason favorite in its conference, cruise past Messiah College 75-49.

The Scots (0-1) trailed the final eight minutes of the contest, but had a chance to win. Down 71-66 with 1:20 remaining, Ian Franks (Greenwich, Ohio / South Central) earned a trip to the free throw line and got both to fall to make it a one-possession game at the 1:09 mark.

Washington & Jefferson (2-1) then worked the clock down before being whistled for a travel with :36 to go. Wooster's ensuing possession would result in three looks at a tying 3-pointer, only to come up short, but a fourth offensive rebound and foul put Bryan Wickliffe (Columbus, Ohio / St. Charles Prep) at the charity stripe with 4.1 on the clock. Wickliffe converted the pair to pull the Scots within 71-70.

With Wooster forced to foul, the Presidents' Josip Lucic-Jozak went to the line with 3.4 seconds left. He connected on the second to split the pair (72-70).

Next, the Scots in-bounded the ball and crossed half court before calling a timeout. With 2.1 seconds, Dustin Geitgey (West Salem, Ohio / Northwestern) passed it in to Franks, positioned a few feet outside the arc. He took one dribble and fired from just left of the key, however, Washington & Jefferson defended it well.

The game was close throughout, as neither squad ever held a double-digit lead. Wooster built a series of six-point leads of 15-9, 19-13, 21-15, and 23-17, before momentum began to swing the Presidents way as the visitors steadily put together an 18-4 run to go ahead 35-27. They eventually went into the break up 44-41.

During the first 12 minutes of the second half, the lead changed hands 10 times. Then, the Scots' offense went cold, tallying just one point over a 4:28 stretch as Washington & Jefferson pulled ahead by six (65-59) around the five-minute mark. Wooster did not have a chance to tie it or take the lead until the final minute.

The difference in the game was free throw shooting, as Washington & Jefferson made 19-of-23 (.826) and the Scots struggled to a tune of 13-of-24 (.542).

Brian Felker provided Washington & Jefferson a spark off the bench with a game-high 23 points, including 3-of-4 3-point shooting.

Franks paced the Scots with 21 points and Justin Hallowell (Worthington, Ohio / Thomas Worthington) provided 11 in his collegiate debut.

In the early game, Randolph-Macon (1-1) jumped out 37-24 by halftime and Messiah (0-2) never pulled within single digits during the second. The Yellow Jackets put three in double figures, highlighted by Jordan Brown's 17 points, while Andy Hawk recorded a double-double of 17 points and 15 rebounds for the Falcons.

Wooster will look to bounce back when it faces Messiah in the consolation game Saturday at 6 p.m., which will be followed by Randolph-Macon and Washington & Jefferson at 8 p.m.