Billings Breaks NCAC Record, Scots Fall in NCAC Tournament Title Game

GRANVILLE, Ohio – Senior Jamir Billings broke the North Coast Athletic Conference's career steals record in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament championship game, where The College of Wooster men's basketball team fell 79-68 to 24th-ranked Denison University on Saturday afternoon at Livingston Gymnasium.

Wooster (21-7) likely saw its season conclude, as the Fighting Scots entered the day 48th in the NCAA Power Index (NPI) rankings and 23rd among Pool C (at-large) teams. Teams in the top 21 for Pool C upon the release of NPI rankings after Sunday's games qualify for the NCAA Div. III Championship. Wooster extend its run of 18-win seasons to 36 straight and has ended its season in either the NCAA Tournament or NCAC Tournament championship game every full season since 1995.

Wooster overcame Denison's (24-3) 9-0 start and a 25-15 Big Red lead with a 9-2 run that tied Saturday's championship game at 34 inside the final minute of the first half. Senior Nick Everett's free throws started the 9-2 stretch, and the senior forward denied a Trevor Reed hook shot from about six feet out on the next possession. Following the block, senior Ashton Price timed up a miss just right to gain the positioning needed in a crowd of Big Red players for a tip-in that had Wooster with 32-29 at 2:40.

Next, junior Jaiden Cox-Holloway was open beyond the 3-point line, leading to an easy Billings find for the triple that had Wooster within 34-32. Cox-Holloway's stick back tied the game at 34 with 50 seconds to go before halftime. A short time prior, Billings knocked the ball away from Denison's Ricky Radtke in the middle of a Scots' triple team at the rim. Junior EJ Kapihe's efforts on the ground secured possession, and Wooster was able to get a timeout called prior to the whistle coming in for a jump ball.

Tyler Miller answered Cox-Holloway's game-tying put back with a 3-pointer, and 37-34 Denison is where the score stood at halftime.

With help from Price, Billings surpassed Ohio Wesleyan University legend Scott Tedder for most steals in NCAC history with 18:37 remaining in the game. Billings stripped the ball from a driving Darren Rubin, and Price dove for the ball to secure possession on a whistle for a held ball.

Rubin's 3-pointer upped Denison's lead to six coming out of halftime. Wooster pulled within four on Price's drive that made it 40-36 before Radtke's bucket extended Denison's lead back to six. A step-back Rubin 3-pointer dropped making the score 48-38 with 17:03 on the clock, and Wooster only managed to pull within seven at 50-43 and 58-51.

Senior JJ Cline's free throws made it 58-51 before Denison seized control with a 12-4 stretch. Miller fueled Denison's pull away with an old-fashion three-point play and his second-chance bucket made it 65-53 with 7:33 left in the contest.

Price's 19 points led all players. The senior upped his career total to 1,180 points, the fourth-most among transfer players in program history. Cox-Holloway, who earned a spot on the all-tournament team, dropped in 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

Billings and Everett both finished with 10 points. Billings reached 1,270 career points for 20th in program history, while Everett's 1,200 points are 22nd. Everett is third among transfers in program history in career scoring. All of his points came as a Fighting Scot.

Billings, an all-tournament team honoree, finished at 324 steals, the 13th-most in Div. III history. Billings is set to graduate with the program's career record in steals and assists (596).

Wooster shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the floor and was just 5-of-23 on 3-pointers for 21.7 percent.

Aidan King earned the Al Van Wie Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament honor. King led Denison with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, which included a 3-of-4 mark from range. Miller followed with 10 points.

Denison shot 39 percent (23-of-59) from the floor and got the job done from deep, knocking down 11 3-pointers.

Rubin, Ohio Wesleyan Henry Hinkle, and Wabash College's Vinny Buccilla were the others on the all-tournament team.