Scots Win Al Van Wie/Rotary Classic 93-70 Over USMMA

Rodney Mitchell battles for rebound during Wooster's 93-70 victory over the Merchant Marine Academy.

WOOSTER, Ohio - The College of Wooster broke open the championship game of the 9th annual Al Van Wie / Wooster Rotary Classic midway through the first half with a 21-0 run en route to defeating the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy 93-70 on Saturday night.

Leading 20-19 with 12:41 left in the first half, the Scots (2-0) went on the aforementioned tear, which included three consecutive Matt Smith (Elida, Ohio / Elida) three-pointers and two others from fellow wing Andrew Lilienthal (Cambridge, Ohio / Cambridge). Defensively, Wooster forced five turnovers during the Merchant Marine Academy's 8:48 scoreless stretch, as the Scots went on to lead 41-24 at the break.

In the second half, Wooster never let the margin get closer than 12 (44-32) on its way to a 23-point win.

For the second-straight night, four Scots reached double-digits in scoring. They were led by the play of big men Bryan Nelson (Kettering, Ohio / Kettering Fairmont), who wound up with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, and Matt Schlingman (Ashland, Ohio / Ashland), who had 14 points and eight boards. Schlingman was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after also going for a career-high 16 points on Friday night, while Nelson earned all-tourney honors at the Al Van Wie Classic for the fourth time.

Also on the all-tournament team from Wooster were Blake Mealer (Wauseon, Ohio / Liberty-Benton), who had 14 points, four assists, and two rebounds in the championship game, and Rodney Mitchell (Elida, Ohio / Elida), who scored 14 points and dished out a team-high six assists against the Mariners while also garnering the nod for defensive MVP honors.

The Merchant Marine Academy had four in double figures as well on Saturday, with Gabe Whitney's 15 points pacing the squad before he fouled out. Josh Buck, who scored 14 points and grabbed a Mariner-high five rebounds against the Scots, and Mark Medvetz, who produced 11 points off the bench, were their representatives on the all-tourney team.

In the consolation game, Muskingum College outlasted Case Western Reserve University in a defensive battle 58-48. Muskingum's Kent Keitch was one of three players to score 10 points for the victors and he was the final selection on the all-tournament team. Keitch had a team-high 17 tallies on Friday.

Wooster returns to action on Tuesday evening (Nov. 26), when it travels to Ohio Northern University, a perennial power in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The game, slated for a 7:30 p.m. start in Ada, Ohio, will mark Ohio Northern's season-opener.