Witt Prevails on Buzzer Beater in Another Classic Between Rivals

WOOSTER, Ohio – The 101st men's basketball game between archrivals College of Wooster and Wittenberg University played out like so many others, a back-and-forth defensive battle that came down to a dramatic finish, this time the visiting Tigers stealing a 56-55 victory when Zack Leahy made a lay-up at the buzzer following his offensive rebound of an air ball on a desperation 3-pointer.

With the win, Wittenberg takes an early advantage in the North Coast Athletic Conference standings as it goes to 2-0 in league play, while Wooster, ranked No. 5 in this week's D3hoops.com top-25 poll, slips to 1-1.

After Clayton Black of the Tigers, who are 3-2 overall, made the second of two free throws to pull his squad within 55-54 with 34.9 seconds left, they used full-court pressure to help induce a turnover by the Fighting Scots, now owners of a 5-1 record, in the backcourt at the 27.4 mark.

Then, between working the clock down and Wooster's tough defense, the best Wittenberg could come up with was a 3-point heave from the left wing by Josh McKee with about three seconds to go. His attempt was short of the basket and came right down to Leahy, whose defender had slipped down to the floor, and the sophomore guard calmly laid the ball in from the right side as the horn sounded for a wild ending.

Neither team was ever ahead by more than six points, and there were 12 lead changes and nine ties. The Tigers used a 9-0 stretch during the opening half for their biggest lead of the night at 16-10, only to see the Scots answer with the next eight points on the scoreboard. It continued to go back-and-forth, with Wooster taking a 30-28 advantage into the halftime break.

Early in the second half, the Scots crept out to a pair of six-point leads of 38-32 and 41-35, but that was followed by a key sequence that saw Wittenberg rattle off nine unanswered points to retake the lead. Justin Hallowell responded with his second 3-pointer of the game to tie it 44-44 at the midway point of  the stanza, and it remained a one-possession game the rest of the way.

The score was 53-53 with 4:30 remaining and then both defenses really buckled down. Wooster's Xavier Brown accounted for the game's next two points, splitting a pair of free throws at the 2:31 mark and with just under a minute to play. On the next possession, Black earned his trip to the charity stripe, setting up the final moments.

Statistically, both teams shot less than 40 percent from the field, the Scots at 38.9 (21-for-54) and the Tigers at 33.3 (20-for-60). Wooster had a substantial rebounding margin of 46-30, but was ultimately done in by a season-high 19 turnovers.

Brown led all scorers with 21 points. No other Scot reached double figures, but Hallowell had eight while becoming the school's career leader in 3-pointers made with 243. He had entered the game tied with James Cooper (241, 2004-08).

Josh Claytor and Jake Mays pulled down seven boards apiece to share top honors in that category, with Claytor adding three blocks as well.

For Wittenberg, three reached double figures, paced by Alex Brandt's quiet 14 points off the bench, which included 6-of-7 field goals. McKee pumped in 13 points, including three 3-pointers, and Black recorded a 10-point night.

The schedule doesn't get any easier for Wooster, as next is a road trip to undefeated and No. 25 Wabash College (7-0, 1-0 NCAC) Saturday. Tip time in Crawfordsville, Ind., is set for 2 p.m.