Tigers Rally For 68-65 Season-Opening Win Over ONU

Springfield, Ohio - The Wittenberg women's basketball team kicked off the 2023-24 season in fine fashion by knocking off Ohio Northern, 68-65.

The win was achieved despite a scoring drought to start the third quarter that nearly sank the Tigers. After taking a 35-31 lead into the locker room at halftime, Wittenberg went cold over the opening seven-plus minutes of the third quarter as ONU went on a 10-0 run. But the Tigers found their offensive footing just in the nick of time, working their way back to within one point before the end of the third quarter.

Just seconds into the fourth quarter, junior Kelsey Ragan (Whitehouse, Ohio/Anthony Wayne) drained a three-pointer to tie the game. After the Polar Bears made a free throw, junior Katie Whitaker (Pittsford, NY/Our Lady of Mercy) converted at the offensive end to give the Tigers a lead they would never surrender again.

It wasn't all Wittenberg down the stretch, however, as a 10-point lead evaporated over the final three minutes. Wittenberg hung on, however, as junior Taryn Cash (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton) and Whitaker hit 3-of-4 free throws in the final 14 seconds.

The Tigers showed great balance in their season opener, putting three players in double figures for scoring. Junior Jazmyn Gaines-Burns (Bladensburg, Maryland/Elizabeth Seton) led with 15 points off the bench, followed by senior Evie Wolshire (Lancaster, Ohio/Fairfield Union) with 14, and Ragan with 13. Cash finished with five points and a team-best five assists to go along with some hounding perimeter defense, and senior Jade Simpson (Edgewood, Kentucky/Holy Cross) led the way on the boards with seven.

Wittenberg and Ohio Northern, the 10th-ranked team in d3hoops.com preseason poll, were even in shots at 59 apiece in the game. The Tigers made one more shot, but the big difference came from three-point range. Wittenberg just 8-of-21 from distance, while the Polar Bears finished 1-of-14.