Wittenberg Stumbles Against Denison Again
Superman had his kryptonite, Wittenberg women's basketball apparently has its equivalent in 2004-05 with the Denison Big Red. For the second time in two months, Denison dealt the Tigers a disappointing North Coast Athletic Conference defeat, this time by a 52-44 margin.
GRANVILLE, Ohio - Superman had his kryptonite, Wittenberg women's basketball apparently has its equivalent in 2004-05 with the Denison Big Red. For the second time in two months, Denison dealt the Tigers a disappointing North Coast Athletic Conference defeat, this time by a 52-44 margin.
The Big Red also beat Wittenberg, 63-59, in Springfield on Dec. 1 in the conference opener for both teams. That loss ended a 36-game NCAC regular season win streak for the Tigers, but it seemed to jumpstart their season as Wittenberg reeled off eight wins in the next 10 games, including a pair of blowouts over title contenders Kenyon and Wooster last week.
But Denison appears to have Wittenberg's number this season as the Big Red improved to 9-6 overall and 5-2 in the NCAC, good for a second-place tie with the Tigers, one game back of Kenyon. Wittenberg fell to 9-7 overall and 5-2 in the conference.
The game went back and forth throughout until Denison's Sam Davis drained a three-pointer at the 5:05 mark of the second half, which broke a 38-38 tie and propelled the Big Red on to a game-ending 14-6 run. Like the first meeting, Wittenberg had its chances late in the game but the Big Red stepped up the defense to force five misses in six Tiger field goal attempts inside the final two minutes, in addition to a pair of costly Wittenberg turnovers.
Both teams made 18 shots from the field and finished with shooting percentages in the 30 percent range. Wittenberg won the battle of the boards comfortably, pulling down 51 caroms to Denison's 38. But the difference was in three-point shooting as Denison made 6-of-16, compared to 2-of-8 for Wittenberg, free throw shooting as Denison finished 10-of-13, compared to just 6-of-13 for the Tigers, and turnovers. Wittenberg committed a whopping 24 ballhandling miscues, twice as many as its hosts.
The Tigers got tremendous games from sophomore post Kathy Hittle and freshman post Ali Rohlfs, but the tandem got little help offensively. Hittle finished with 12 points and career-highs of 15 rebounds and four blocks and Rohlfs chipped in with a game-high 17 points and seven boards. Only four other players scored in the game, although senior guard Alison Nahrup did finish with three assists and five rebounds.
Denison picked up 16 points from Davis and 14 more from all-conference performer Emma Woodward.