No. 18 Scots at Allegheny, Host OWU in Key Game Saturday Night

Brandon Johnson

The College of Wooster, currently ranked No. 18 in the D3hoops.com national top-25 poll after moving up five spots this week and tied for first-place in the North Coast Athletic Conference, continues its quest for a fourth-straight league championship. On Wednesday night, Jan. 30, the Fighting Scots will be in northwestern Pennsylvania for their first meeting of the season with Allegheny College (8-9, 3-5 NCAC), which started the year at 6-2 overall, but has dropped seven of its last nine due in large part to injuries to two starters. Wooster swept the teams’ season series during 2006-07 (97-87 in Meadville, Pa., and 109-71 in Wooster), extending its win streak over the Gators to 21 games and improving to 48-18 against them all-time. This Saturday night, Feb. 2, Ohio Wesleyan University (11-5, 6-2 NCAC) visits the Scots’ 3,400-seat Timken Gymnasium for a key conference match-up. Ohio Wesleyan enters the week tied for third-place, one game back of both Wooster and Wittenberg University (11-6, 7-1 NCAC). This season’s first game between the Scots and the Battling Bishops went down to the wire, with the lead changing three times over the final 1:03 before Wooster escaped with an 80-77 triumph. Both tip-off times this week are 7:30 p.m.

Last Week: The Scots upped their record to 14-3 overall and 7-1 in the NCAC with two wins.

On Jan. 23, a game that appeared to be a mismatch on paper turned out to be just that, as nationally-ranked Wooster rolled past winless Denison University 97-57 in an NCAC contest at Timken Gymnasium. Behind an early explosion from Brandon Johnson (Columbus, Ohio / Groveport Madison), the Scots took control right from the opening tip. Johnson scored nine of the game’s first 11 points, all coming on 3-pointers less than three minutes in. Wooster would extend that 9-2 lead to a 20-point cushion (24-4) before seven minutes had even gone by. Denison outscored the Scots over the next few minutes, trimming the lead to 33-16 at the eight-minute mark. Then, Wooster went on another big run, starting with a Johnson fast-break dunk and a Johnson 3-pointer on back-to-back possessions, which led to a 19-2 stretch (52-18) and 30-point halftime cushion (54-24). The Scots played their starters just seven minutes during the second half. Johnson finished just one point shy of his career-high, pumping in 25 points overall, which included 5-of-7 3-point shooting. He also added four rebounds, three assists, and four steals during 23 minutes. Marty Bidwell (Middletown, Ohio / Bishop Fenwick) was just one rebound short of a double-double, posting a balanced stat line of 12 points, a game-high nine boards, and four steals. Also reaching double figures were James Cooper (Springfield, Ohio / Springfield South) and Dustin Geitgey (West Salem, Ohio / Northwestern). Cooper tossed in 14 points and Geitgey made 4-of-7 3-pointers for a 12-point night, equaling a career high.

On Jan. 26, six Wooster players scored in double-digits and the Scots steadily pulled away from a pesky Earlham College squad en route to an 89-68 victory in NCAC action. Wooster was ahead 20-18 before the first big run of the day midway through the first half. The Scots would score eight unanswered points to bump the lead to double figures (28-18). Dictating the tempo, Earlham cut the margin down to 32-25, however, another 8-0 Wooster spurt allowed the Scots to go into the break with a 15-point advantage (40-25). While Wooster never truly pulled away during the second half, the outcome was never in doubt as the Scots owned a double-digit lead throughout, including as much as 24 (66-42). Six scored between 11 and 15 points, led by Fulk’s 15, which came on 3-of-4 3-pointers, two other made field goals, and two free throws. Robert Melick (Gambier, Ohio / Mt. Vernon), playing aggressive on the inside, equaled his career high of 13 points, set just 10 days prior. Cooper hit 4-of-9 3-pointers for a 12-point outing and Bryan Wickliffe (Columbus, Ohio / St. Charles Prep) also wound up with 12 as well as a team-high seven boards. Evan Will (Dublin, Ohio / Dublin Coffman) and Johnson added 11 apiece, with Johnson passing out a squad-best six assists. Also of note, Bidwell came up with a game-high five steals.