Tigers Get Back Into Win Column At Denison

GRANVILLE, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers put a three-game losing streak in the rearview mirror with a come-from-behind 64-56 victory at Denison.

The Tigers, who started the season 5-0, trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half and as many as six as late as the 8:23 mark of the second half before rallying for the win. Wittenberg improved to 6-3 overall and 1-1 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) with the win.

The key to the win was three-point shooting as the Tigers drained 8-of-15 shots from beyond the arc, compared to 5-of-16 for the Big Red. Senior Katelyn Haralamos (Maineville, Ohio/Kings) led the way in that department, as she knocked down all three of her long range attempts en route to 21 points.

Senior Darbie Zirkle (St. Paris, Ohio/Graham) matched Haralamos in the scoring column, as she collected 21 points while shooting 4-of-7 from three-point range. Zirkle also contributed five rebounds, four steals, two blocked shots and a game-high five assists, including a key helper to senior Enri Small (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus School for Girls) that gave the Tigers a seven-point advantage with 1:51 left in the game.

That basket was part of a game-ending 16-8 Wittenberg run over the final 5:30. The Tigers hit 7-of-8 free throws during that stretch.

For the game, Wittenberg shot 35.8 percent from the field overall, but the Tigers' defense was stellar, particularly over the final 20 minutes as Denison managed just 4-of-24 from the field. The Big Red finished the game at 32.7 percent shooting.

Wittenberg held a slim 39-36 rebounding advantage and committed three fewer turnovers in the game. Haralamos led the Tigers with six rebounds, and she added three steals and three assists. Small added eight points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals to the effort.

Written By: Ryan Maurer