Tigers Go Cold In Second Half Of Season-Opening Loss At Defending OAC Champion Capital
The new-look Wittenberg Tigers were unable to finish what they started in their 2008-09 season opener, falling by a deceiving 73-62 score at Ohio Athletic Conference preseason favorite Capital.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The new-look Wittenberg Tigers were unable to finish what they started in their 2008-09 season opener, falling by a deceiving 73-62 score at Ohio Athletic Conference preseason favorite Capital.
The game was a stark tale of two halves as Wittenberg built a 12-point lead by halftime on the strength of 45 percent shooting and a four-rebound advantage. After briefly extending the lead to 14 points early in the second half, the Tigers simply went cold as the veteran Crusaders rose to the occasion.
Capital shot a blistering 56 percent in the second half, but just as importantly the Crusaders knocked down 14-of-16 free throws and outrebounded Wittenberg by a whopping 12 over the final 20 minutes. On the flip side, Wittenberg managed just 7-of-33 shooting from the field in the second half, including a 2-of-16 showing from long range.
A three-pointer by sophomore guard Chris Sullivan (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) tied the game at 59-59 with 3:38 remaining in the game. However, Capital took the ball to the basket to draw the crucial fifth foul on Tigers' junior post Mark Snyder (Celina, Ohio/Riverside). Capital's Casey Brown hit the two ensuing free throws to break the tie and start a game-ending 14-3 run.
The Tigers were led offensively by junior guard David Nowicki (Carmel, Ind./Westfield) with 15 points and two assists in a career-high 30 minutes in his first starting assignment since he stepped in for five games as a freshman two years ago. Also in double figures was senior wing Kevin Murray (Carmel, Ind./Carmel)with 11 points, although he finished just 3-of-12 from the field. Murray also added six rebounds in 30 minutes of action.
Rounding things out for the Tigers was freshman forward Alex Brandt (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) with 10 points and four rebounds in a solid 24-minute collegiate debut. As a team, Wittenberg wound up shooting 33 percent from the field, including a 5-of-26 performance from behind the newly extended three-point line.