Wittenberg Wins 15th Straight Game, Overpowers Earlham, 87-51

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg University Tigers made it 15 straight wins on Wednesday in the HPER Center after blistering the visiting Earlham College Quakers, 87-51.

This was yet another home game that was never in doubt. Since defeating fifth-ranked Wooster on Jan. 21 at home, the Tigers have encountered four foes on their home floor and won each game by at least 21 points - and the last three games, against Hiram, Wabash and Earlham, have been won by an average of 38 points. Wittenberg improved to 19-3 overall in the 2003-04 season, 13-0 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. The win allowed the Tigers to maintain their slim one-game lead in the conference, heading into Saturday's huge rematch with Wooster, this time on the Scots' home floor. Earlham dropped to 8-14 overall and 5-8 in the NCAC while losing for ninth straight time to Wittenberg and the 40th time in the last 42 meetings.

For the second game in a row, Wittenberg never trailed, although this time things never were close. At Hiram on Saturday, the Tigers had to fend off a challenge from the Terriers, who closed the gap to one point midway through the second half. Against Earlham, Wittenberg opened the game with a 14-2 run and never looked back, stretching the first-half lead to as much as 23 and then pouring it on in the second half. The final margin of 36 was the largest of the game, thanks to a game-ending 8-0 run over the final 2:07 by the Tiger reserves.

There were two keys to the game. The first was turnovers, as in a school record-tying four for Wittenberg to 17 for Earlham, leading to a points off turnovers differential of 25-2 in favor of the Tigers. The second was shooting percentage as Wittenberg drained 36-of-61 shots from the field, including 6-of-14 from three-point range, for a season-high 59 percent. Earlham made just 28 percent of its shots in the first half en route to a 19-of-57 performance for the game (33 percent). Included in those numbers was a 5-of-22 night from three-point range.

The Tigers, whose reserves outscored Earlham 37-7 in the game, were paced by 18 points and four rebounds by senior forward Peter Walker (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier). Sophomore center Daniel Russ (Louisville, Ky./Trinity) added 12 points, three boards and two blocks and sophomore center Dane Borchers (Russia, Ohio/Russia) checked in with 10 points and seven rebounds in 15 productive minutes off the bench. Thirteen of the 15 Wittenberg players who saw action scored at least two points in the game, including junior guard Kenny Molz (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont), who provided a spark with two points, five assists and two steals.

Earlham picked up 20 points from Markous Jewett to lead all scorers. LaRon Henry checked in with 13 points and Jermaine Crumby added eight points and nine rebounds.