Tenth-Ranked Wooster Opens With Decisive 97-80 Win Against No. 20 Cabrini

WOOSTER, Ohio – In a season opener between NCAA Div. III national powers, The College of Wooster, ranked No. 10 in the D3hoops.com preseason top-25 poll, received a career night from Josh Kipfer and rolled past No. 20 Cabrini College 97-80 Saturday at Timken Gymnasium.

With Wooster's (1-0) two starting big men – Dan Fanelly and Alex LaLonde – limited to a combined 13 minutes during the first half, Kipfer played 16 minutes and responded with 17 points – five more than his previous career high for a full game – and nine rebounds.

When Kipfer stepped on the court at the 16:18 mark, the score was 5-5 and it remained a one-possession game until the midway point of the half. Freshman Spencer Williams connected on a deep 3-pointer from the left wing to kick start a 15-2 run that included seven points by Kipfer and was capped by a Milt Davis 3-pointer that gave the Fighting Scots a 34-20 advantage.

The margin only dipped under double figures once the remainder of the contest when Cabrini closed to within 34-26, and Wooster followed with a decisive 13-3 stretch (47-29), which featured six more points from Kipfer.

In addition to Kipfer, the Scots' 51-37 halftime lead was fueled by Evan Pannell, who had 16 points.

Wooster scored the opening eight points of the second half, all in the paint, for a 22-point cushion (59-37), and the closest it ever got from that juncture was 67-54. Then, Pannell hit his fourth 3-pointer in as many attempts, Kipfer scored on the inside, and the Scots went on to the 17-point victory.

Statistically, the difference was Wooster's 50 points in the paint, compared to the Cavaliers' 32. The Scots shot over 50 percent from the field (.514; 36-for-70), including a solid 7-for-15 from 3-point range (.467), and won the rebounding battle 48-41.

Kipfer's final line consisted of 26 points and 15 rebounds – the first double-digit rebounding game of his career after getting to nine three times last year – plus three assists without a turnover and two blocks.

Pannell also notched a career high in scoring, as his 4-for-4 effort from 3-point range helped boost him to 23 points. The senior small forward added four assists.

Fanelly contributed 14 points and eight boards before fouling out, and Williams reached double figures in his collegiate debut with 12 points.

For the most part, Wooster held Cabrini's Aaron Walton-Moss, last season's NABC Div. III Player of the Year, in check. He had 16 points on 5-of-15 field goal shooting as well as 13 rebounds and four assists, while the Cavaliers' leading scorer was Vinny Walls with 19 points.

The Scots are off from competition until hosting the 21st annual Al Van Wie/Rotary Classic next weekend, which starts with their match-up against the preseason favorites in the Ohio Athletic Conference, the University of Mount Union, Friday at 7 p.m.