Turnovers Costly in 81-68 Loss at No. 21 Mount Union

ALLIANCE, Ohio – The College of Wooster men's basketball team could not overcome a high volume of first-half turnovers, with the Fighting Scots falling 81-68 at 21st-ranked University of Mount Union on Wednesday evening at the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex.

Wooster (2-1), which was the last remaining undefeated North Coast Athletic Conference squad entering the day, led 19-15 at the 10:27 mark. First-year Jamir Billings got his Purple Raider (5-0) defender to fall for the pump fake, dribbled once to his left, then canned a three-pointer, which capped a 9-2 run. All eyes were on Wooster's sensational first-year during the stretch, with the rookie point guard pulling up from downtown at the onset of the run. Later, Mount Union's defense sucked in on a driving Billings, and that freed up sophomore Jake Hoffman in the corner for a three-ball.

Mount Union first-year Michael Skeriotis was impressive in his own right, as the guard sparked the Purple Raiders with a steal at the 8:24 mark that quickly led to an old-fashion three-point play. Senior Najee Hardaway worked hard inside for a bucket to pull Wooster within 22-21, and junior Turner Kurt's driving floater fell to tie the score at 23 with 7:27 left in the opening half.

The Purple Raiders' Braedon Poole caught fire late in the first half with 10 points during Mount Union's 16-4 run. Poole's steal and transition layup capped the run with the hosts up 39-27 with 1:20 left in the opening half. Six of Wooster's 17 first-half turnovers came during the 16-4 stretch.

Senior Brandon Styers' corner three-ball pulled Wooster within 49-46 with 14:38 remaining. That bucket capped the Scots' 12-2 sequence. Prior to Styers' three-ball, it was the Kurt show, with the junior scoring nine straight Wooster points. Four of those came on dishes down low, first from Hardaway, then from Billings. Next, came three the hard way after Kurt bullied his way inside, then a spin move gave the forward his first 20-point game as a Wooster Scot.

A 6-0 Mount Union run pulled the Purple Raiders ahead by 11 with 5:14 remaining. Kurt briefly got the deficit back to single digits with a layup before Poole upped his point haul to 24. Mount Union maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

Kurt scored a collegiate-high 25 points, besting his old mark from his days at Div. II Edinboro University by three. The forward made his first nine field goals on the night en route to finishing 11-of-13 from the floor. Styers recorded his first collegiate double-double with 12 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Of note, Wooster guards now have two double-doubles on the year, with junior Tayler McNeal's coming in the season-opening win over Saint Vincent College.

Wooster shot 41 percent (25-of-61), was 6-of-21 from three-point range, and had 27 turnovers. The Scots had a slight 32-27 edge in rebounding.

Poole went 11-of-19 from the floor to finish with a team-leading 24 points. He factored in heavily on the defensive end with a game-high six steals. Christian Parker chipped in 19 points off the bench on 9-of-11 shooting.

Mount Union shot 53.1 percent (34-of-64), was just 1-of-11 from three-point range, but did drop 54 points in from the paint.

Next, Wooster (0-0 NCAC) opens conference play at Oberlin College (2-2, 0-0 NCAC) on Tuesday, November 30. Tipoff is now set for 7 p.m.