WOOSTER, Ohio – A 16-0 second-half run spanning nearly six minutes lifted The College of Wooster men's basketball team to an 81-67 win over Kenyon College on Monday evening at Timken Gymnasium.
Kenyon (7-8, 0-6 North Coast Athletic Conference), which outscored Wooster (11-3, 5-1 NCAC) 67-65 outside of the decisive 16-0 stretch, pulled within 56-55 on Nick Lewis' three-pointer at the 9:37 point of the second half. That marked the Owls' last point until Gefen Bar-Cohen stopped the run at the charity stripe with 3:41 remaining.
Senior Najee Hardaway started Wooster's run at the line, converting both ends of a one-and-one in a very physical game between NCAC rivals that saw the teams trade leads 11 times and have seven tied scores. Wooster's efforts following a Kenyon timeout called at 8:14 were the distinctive parts of the run. Nick Nelson could not find a teammate on a pass coming out of the timeout, and Wooster senior Turner Kurt seized the opportunity to up the lead to 61-55 with a layup following a Hardaway pass down low. Next, sophomore Jamir Billings picked Nelson's pocket, and junior Carter Warstler found a driving Elijah Meredith for a fast-break lay-in. Junior Nick Everett's layup upon subbing in with 4:25 on the clock capped the stretch with Wooster on top 72-55.
A step-back three-pointer from Meredith gave Wooster a lead that would not be relinquished with 13:02 to go. The Scots' junior found an open Warstler for a follow-up triple on the next possession, as Wooster's led grew to 54-48 with the clock showing 12:21.
In the first half, junior Jake Hoffman saved a Wooster miss from going out of bounds, sending the ball towards halfcourt with the clock winding down. Billings out-hustled an Owl for the loose ball and canned a 34-footer at the shot-clock buzzer. Kenyon responded with a buzzer-beater of its own from David Mazon to close within 39-35 at the half.
Earlier in the opening stanza, junior JJ Cline's stick back started a 7-0 stretch that included a Hardaway triple. Hoffman's free throws capped the run with Wooster leading 7-5 at the 14:09 mark. Kenyon led by as many as four, while Billings' shot-clock beater gave Wooster its largest lead of the opening 20 minutes at six points.
Kurt turned in his first double-double of the year with game-highs in points and rebounds at 15 and 10, respectively. Four other Scots joined Kurt in double figures in the scoring column, including Cline, who was one off a career-high at 13 points. Everett finished 4-of-5 from the floor as part of a 12-point night.
Warstler shined again versus Kenyon with a game-high five steals and seven rebounds, four of which came on the offensive end. Billings added six rebounds and four steals.
Wooster shot 41.0 percent (25-of-61) from the floor and 23-of-33 at the line. The Scots outrebounded the Owls 45-29, but did have 21 turnovers. However, Kenyon could not capitalize, scoring just 14 points off Wooster's miscues.
Anthony Testa and Miles Versa scored 13 points apiece for Kenyon. The Owls hit 11 triples on 28 attempts for a 39.3 make rate, while overall, Kenyon shot 34.5 percent (19-of-55). Wooster did cash in, to the tune of 32 points, on Kenyon's 23 turnovers.
Next, Wooster travels to archrival Wittenberg University (6-8, 2-3 NCAC) for a 7 p.m. game on Saturday, January 14. The game is the 125th all-time in the rivalry.