Wittenberg Defeats Messiah In NCAA Div. III Tournament Second Round

GRANTHAM, Pa. - The Wittenberg Tigers pulled off the biggest upset in school history on Saturday, taking to the road and defeating ninth-ranked Messiah College, 51-48, to advance to the program's first NCAA Division III Tournament Round of 16.

The Tigers, regular season and tournament champions of the North Coast Athletic Conference, improved to 25-5 overall on the 2003-04 season and advanced to the Round of 16 to play the University of Scranton at 5 p.m. Friday, March 12 at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. It was Wittenberg's 21st straight victory, dating back to a Dec. 20 home defeat against Thomas More College. Messiah, regular season champions of the Middle Atlantic Corporation Conference, dropped to 23-4 overall.

Three days after winning the first NCAA Tournament first round game in school history in convincing fashion on their home court against Penn St.-Behrend, the Tigers expected and received a stern challenge from the Falcons. Neither team ever led by more than five points in the game, and with one minute remaining the score was tied at 46. That's when top players rise to the occasion, and Wittenberg senior forward Haley Warden (Loveland, Ohio/Indian Hill) did just that, burying a clutch three-pointer - her career-high third of the night - to give the Tigers a 49-46 lead with 50 seconds remaining.

Messiah responded with a two-point basket at the other end, and then the Falcons fouled Tiger senior guard Kari Kitchen (Springfield, Ohio/Southeastern) with 12 seconds left. After missing two previous free throw attempts, Kitchen was money this time, dropping both attempts to give the Tigers another three-point lead. Messiah got one last three-point attempt off before the horn sounded, but the Tigers cleared the rebound away and earned a long-sought-after trip to the Round of 16.

"We're all excited," said Tiger Head Coach Pam Smith in her typically understated manner. "This team, and these players, are on a great adventure right now. They're having fun, and the best part is that they are leaving it all on the floor every time out."

Smith credited her team's defensive pressure and rebounding with playing a key role in the victory. "It was a really great defensive battle the entire way," she said. "Both teams put great pressure on the ball and forced the action that way."

Just six of the 11 players who saw action for Wittenberg scored. Warden, named the NCAC Player of the Year on Thursday, led the way with her 16th double-double of the season as she poured in 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Senior guard Amber Bishop (Batavia, Ohio/Batavia) added 10 points, three rebounds and two assists, senior forward Geri Woessner (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) chipped in with nine points and 10 boards, Kitchen finished with seven points and three rebounds and junior guard Alison Nahrup (Loveland, Ohio/Mt. Notre Dame) had the best game of her career, hitting all three of her shots in the first half and finishing with seven points for the game. She is averaging just one point per game.

Messiah picked up 12 points from Katrina Green and 11 from Jess Unick in the loss. The Falcons were outrebounded by a 40-33 margin. Neither team shot the ball well - 35 percent each - and both topped the 20-turnover plateau.