Ohio Wesleyan 77, Mount Union 76

Nov. 29, 2003

Mount Union's Rob Paulauskas and Chris Blakely missed potential game-winning shots in the final 5 seconds as Ohio Wesleyan survived a Purple Raider comeback to take the first game of the inaugural NCAC/OAC Challenge on Saturday at Wooster.

Capital defeated Wooster, 74-71, in the second game on Saturday.

Sunday's NCAC/OAC Challenge games will match Capital against Ohio Wesleyan at 4 p.m. and Wooster against Mount Union at 6 p.m. Both games will be played at Mount Union College in Alliance.

Ohio Wesleyan did little wrong during the first half, breaking a 2-2 tie with a 15-4 run that featured a pair of 3-pointers by sophomore wing Andy Warnock (Delaware/Hayes) and another by junior wing Tyler Reed (Marysville/Fairbanks).

The Purple Raiders closed to within 7 points on a couple occasions, but Ohio Wesleyan held off the threat and continued to build the lead, which reached 48-30 at halftime thanks to 4 free throws by sophomore guard Ross Rybarczyk (Oberlin/Elyria Catholic) during the final minute of the half.

Ohio Wesleyan shot nearly 60 percent from the field during the first half, hitting 16 of 27 shots. Leading the way for the Bishops was senior post Travis Schwab (Medina), who was 6-for-8 from the field, including a 3-pointer, in his first appearance of the season.

Senior post Charlie Smith (Centerburg) scored early in the second half to hike the lead to 50-30, the Bishops' biggest edge of the game.

The Bishops still led, 66-52, on a basket by freshman post Ben Chojnacki (Medina) at the midway point of the second half before Mount Union rallied.

Paulauskas scored from inside the paint and Malachi Hall followed with a 3-pointer as Mount Union got the lead down to single digits at 66-57 with 8:10 left in regulation time. Kyle Karpinski and Brad Gerard added jumpers to bring the Purple Raiders within 66-61 with 6:43 remaining.

Schwab hit one of 2 free throws with 6:12 to play to end the Bishop scoring drought at just under 4 minutes, but Curtis Stevens and Paulauskas scored to bring Mount Union within 2 points with 5:09 left.

Schwab and Rybarczyk helped the Bishops hold on to the lead, and after Schwab's 2 free throws with 1:30 remaining, Ohio Wesleyan had a 75-69 advantage.

Paulauskas followed with a jumper, and after Warnock missed a 3-pointer for the Bishops, the Purple Raiders cleared the rebound, and Blakely scored with :15 left to bring Mount Union within 75-73.

Mount Union fouled Rybarczyk with :12 remaining, and the Bishop guard sank both charity tosses to hike the lead to 77-73.

Hall then hit a 3-pointer with :06 left to make it 77-76, then stole the ball from Smith with :05 left. Paulauskas missed a jumper with :02 to play, and Blakely's follow shot was off the mark at the buzzer.

Schwab and Smith scored 20 points apiece to lead the Ohio Wesleyan offense. Warnock finished with 14 points and Rybarczyk had 11 points. Smith led the Bishops with 6 rebounds and Rybarczyk had a team-high 8 assists.

Paulauskas led Mount Union with 20 points, Blakely added 12 points and grabbed a team-leading 10 rebounds, and Brad Gerard added 10 points. Clay Sanders led the Purple Raiders with 5 assists.

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