8-0 Run the Difference in Cedarville's Narrow Win Over the Scots

Bryan Wickliffe

Cedarville University, rated No. 4 in NAIA Div. II, scored eight unanswered points during a 3:05 stretch of the second half to build a double-digit lead (57-47) for the first and only time of Saturday night’s game and then held off a furious rally by The College of Wooster, which is ranked No. 14 in NCAA Div. III, for a 65-61 triumph in Cedarville, Ohio.

The two teams played an even first half, as they were knotted 35-35 at the break. Early in the second, Wooster (2-2) held a 42-39 lead, but then Cedarville (5-2) steadily took control. First, the Yellow Jackets tied it at 42 and then Chris Beals made a four-point play, hitting a 3-pointer plus a foul shot. Kaleb Reed (Burbank, Ohio / Northwestern) answered with a 3-point shot of his own to bring Wooster back within one only to see the hosts bury another 3-ball on the ensuing possession to make it a two-possession margin (49-45).

The Scots would briefly pull back within two on a pair of Brandon Johnson (Columbus, Ohio / Groveport Madison) free throws before the Yellow Jackets went on the aforementioned 8-0 run, with five of those points courtesy of NAIA All-American Ryan Short.

Trailing by 10 with a little more than five minutes to go, Wooster crept back into the game. The Scots put together six-straight points at one point, four free throws by James Cooper (Springfield, Ohio / Springfield South) and a lay-up by Bryan Wickliffe (Columbus, Ohio / St. Charles Prep), the latter making it a 59-57 margin at the 1:27 mark.

On the ensuing possession, Cedarville’s Ricardo Alliman worked his way to the charity stripe, where he made 1-of-2, and next, Devin Fulk (Newark, Ohio / Licking Valley) found an opening for a lay-up to pull Wooster within one at 60-59 with :50 to play.

The back-breaker for the Scots was on the following possession, as after working the shot clock down, a Yellow Jacket 3-pointer was off the mark, however, Daniel Rose collected the offensive rebound, put it back in, and was fouled. He finished the three-point play for a 63-59 cushion and just :25 remaining.

Saturday’s game was in complete contrast of last year’s match-up, when Wooster won a 104-95 shootout. Both defenses took center stage this time, with the Scots shooting just 33.3 percent from the field (22-of-66) and Cedarville not much better at 37.1 percent (23-of-62).

Individually, Wooster didn’t have anybody reach double figures in scoring, as Cooper, Johnson, Wickliffe, and Evan Will (Dublin, Ohio / Dublin Coffman) shared team honors with nine points apiece. Marty Bidwell (Middletown, Ohio / Bishop Fenwick) did record double-digits, grabbing 11 rebounds to help the Scots to a 49-45 advantage in that category.

For the Yellow Jackets, Short tossed in a game-high 14 points and Christopher Walker posted a double-double of 11 points and 12 boards, in addition to three blocked shots.

Next for Wooster, North Coast Athletic Conference play begins this week, as the Scots will travel to Oberlin College (0-6) on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. tip.