Wittenberg Takes Third Place in John R. Collier Tournament With 73-72 Win Over Olivet

HANOVER, Ind. - It looked like something akin to a laugher on paper, a meaningless consolation game between the powerful, nationally ranked Wittenberg Tigers and the 0-3 Olivet Comets, a team that lost by 35 points on Friday night to the host Hanover Panthers in a semifinal game of the John R. Collier Tournament. But it ended being anything but a laugher as the Tigers were forced to gut out a 73-72 win to take third place in the tourney and round out a rollercoaster week on a high note.

Wittenberg, which improved to 3-1 with the win a day after a 66-64 overtime loss to Wisconsin-Eau Claire, couldn't pull away despite leading much of the game and were forced into a tough situation on its final possession. Sophomore center Daniel Russ (Louisville, Ky./Trinity) hit a turnaround jumper in the lane with just eight seconds left to give the Tigers the victory, although they were forced to sweat out a last-second three-pointer by the Comets.

Both halves of the game were tight, as the teams were locked up at 36-all after the first half and then the teams traded baskets down the stretch of the second half. The lead changed hands 12 times and there were four ties in the game. Wittenberg posted leads of seven points once in each half, while Olivet enjoyed a four-point lead midway through the second stanza. For the game, the Tigers were surprisingly outrebounded 31-30, and they shot just 41.5 percent from the field, including a 5-of-15 performance from three-point range. They bailed themselves out, however, with 24-of-31 shooting from the free throw line.

Wittenberg, playing its fourth game without starting point guard Danny Brywczynski (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) due to a hand injury suffered in preseason practice, was paced offensively by 20 points and six rebounds from senior forward Peter Walker (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier) and a career-high 18 points in 13 minutes off the bench from sophomore forward Kenny Brady (Reading, Ohio/Reading). Russ finished with 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.