Story By: Ryan Maurer
E-Mail: rmaurer@wittenberg.edu
Date: January 14, 2004

Box Score

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. - The Wittenberg men's basketball team didn't play one of its best games, but the Tigers did just enough in the hornet's nest that is Wabash's Chadwick Court Wednesday, escaping the host Little Giants 58-46. The win set up a first-place showdown against Wooster on Saturday in Springfield at the HPER Center.

The Tigers fell behind 14-9 midway through the first half before clamping down on the Little Giants, who came into the game tied with Wittenberg and Wooster for first place in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Covering the last eight minutes of the first half, Wittenberg outscored the host team 15-1 to take a 24-15 lead into the locker room. After scoring the first two points of the second half to cap the run at 17-1, Wittenberg extended the lead throughout the first part of the final 20 minutes to 42-26. Wabash made a big run over the final 11 minutes, but the Little Giants' rally ultimately fell short.

Wittenberg was almost done in by poor free throw shooting as the Tigers managed just 19-of-40 from the charity stripe, but Wabash was stifled offensively to the tune of 31 percent shooting from the field. The Tigers also outrebounded Wabash 43-34.

Wittenberg was led by junior guard Andy Bucheit (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle), who came off the bench to score 13 points and grab four rebounds. Sophomore center Daniel Russ (Louisville, Ky./Trinity) added 11 points and six rebounds in his first start in more than a week due to illness. And sophomore forward Kenny Brady (Reading, Ohio/Reading) added nine points, six rebounds and three assists in another outstanding all-around game.

Wabash, which fell to 6-8 overall and 4-1 in the NCAC, was paced by Zeljko Gavranovic, who had 10 points and nine rebounds. Wittenberg improved to 11-3 overall and 5-0 in the NCAC, the same conference record as fifth-ranked arch-rival Wooster, the next opponent for the Tigers.