Still Lots at Stake, Despite Early-Season Witt-Woo Match-Up

James Cooper scored 19 points in the NCAC Tournament title game against Wittenberg last year.

Woo-Witt Rivalry | Ticket Information
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio

Saturday's game between Wittenberg University and The College of Wooster may be the earliest in a season these two rivals have played in a decade (Dec. 9, 1995), but that won't take away from the intensity level because the result will likely impact the rest of 2005-06. In addition to holding the bragging rights until their Feb. 4 meeting in Springfield, Ohio, the winner will take control of the race for the North Coast Athletic Conference championship, which either Wittenberg or Wooster has won every year since 1988-89 (Allegheny College was co-champions in 1988-89 and 1992-93). The winner also could take a big step towards a No. 1 national ranking, as they were second (Wooster) and third (Wittenberg) in next week's D3hoops.com poll.

Adding to the intrigue of this evening's match-up is that it pits two contrasting styles. Wittenberg will want to impose a methodical half-court game, as the Tigers have beaten the likes of the University of Rochester (52-50), last season's national runner-up in NCAA Div. III, Capital University (73-54), picked to finish second in the Ohio Athletic Conference preseason polls, Transylvania University (62-51), the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference favorite, and Cedarville University (65-59), rated No. 5 in NAIA Div. II, while only reaching the 70-point mark twice in six contests. On the other hand, the Fighting Scots' up-tempo game has resulted in their lowest point total all year being 77 points, and they're actually averaging over 100 a game (100.7).

When defending Wittenberg, the Scots have a difficult choice. They could double-down on the Tigers' impressive trio of big men in 6-9 Daniel Russ, 6-8 Dane Borchers, and 6-4, 205-pound Kenny Brady, which may allow the best 3-point shooting team in the conference, in terms of percentage (.434), to get open looks. Wittenberg's top perimeter players, Billy Bowen, D.J. Corbett, Pat Denbow, Tyler Howard, and Phil Steffes have combined for 30-of-61 3-pointers (.492). Or, Wooster could play man-to-man, despite being at a height disadvantage, with 6-6 Tim Vandervaart and 6-5 Tom Port being the Scots' tallest players among their regular rotation. Noteworthy, Wooster wants to avoid fouling Russ, Borchers, and Brady, as they've only missed three free throw attempts between them thus far (39-42).

When the Scots have the ball, they'll be looking to push it up court with the likes of Port, James Cooper, Devin Fulk, Kyle Witucky, and company. Cooper leads the NCAC in scoring at 19.9 points per game and is making 53.0 percent of his field goals as a shooting guard. Port is averaging 16.4 points, despite struggling to find his 3-point range since the championship of the Al Van Wie tourney. He was 8-of-15 that game and just 6-of-21 the rest of this year. Witucky runs the Wooster offense, as the senior point guard is issuing 4.6 assists, while Fulk has been Wooster's top player off the bench, adding 9.3 points, including 15 in two of the last three games.