Wittenberg 66, Ohio Wesleyan 59

Feb. 3, 2004

Amber Bishop scored 19 first-half points and Haley Warden had 18 points in the second half as Wittenberg outlasted Ohio Wesleyan in North Coast Athletic Conference action on Tuesday night at Branch Rickey Arena.

Ohio Wesleyan threatened to take command early in the game, erasing a 6-4 deficit with a 12-2 run that featured a pair of baskets by freshman post Tifini Ray (Hilliard/Davidson) and was finished off by a fast break hoop by junior wing Kelly Heil (Sylvania/Southview).

Warden drove to the bucket and converted a 3-point play to end the Bishop run and bring Wittenberg within 16-11 with 8:57 left in the first half, but Ohio Wesleyan answered with consecutive hoops by junior post Erica Brizendine (Grove City) to increase its lead to 20-11.

The Tigers closed to within 21-17, but Ohio Wesleyan struck back with a 3-pointer from junior guard Celina Dopoulos (Strongsville) and a Brizendine 3-point play on a fast break to stretch the lead to 27-17 with 6:02 left in the first half.

Brizendine's fast-break basket turned out to be Ohio Wesleyan's last of the period. Wittenberg turned to Bishop, who scored 9 consecutive points to bring the Tigers back to within 27-26. She hit a 3-pointer, 2 free throws and a pair of running shots during the Wittenberg rally.

Junior post Shelby Larson (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows) sank a pair of free throws to give Ohio Wesleyan a 29-26 lead with 1:14 left in the half, but Wittenberg got those points back with a pair of Bishop free throws with 1:02 remaining.

The Tigers got a big boost in the closing seconds of the half when Kari Kitchen was fouled in transition with :02 to play. The foul was the Bishops' 10th of the half, sending Kitchen to the line for 2 shots. Kitchen hit the first to tie the game and missed the second free throw, but Carrie Jones grabbed the rebound and put it back into the basket just before the halftime buzzer for a 31-29 Wittenberg lead.

Ohio Wesleyan opened the second half with 6 straight points, getting a drive by Dopoulos and a pair of Heil jumpers to go ahead, 35-31. The Bishops still led, 37-35, when Emilie Schmid hit a 3-pointer that put Wittenberg ahead to stay and followed with a drive to give the Tigers a 40-37 lead with 14:08 left in regulation time.

Heil brought the Bishops within 40-39 with a jumper on Ohio Wesleyan's next possession, but Warden converted another 3-point play on a drive to the basket to give the Tigers a 43-39 lead with 13:14 remaining.

Ohio Wesleyan went without a basket for the next 8 minutes but kept close at the free throw line. When Dopoulos ended the Bishop drought with a 3-pointer from the top of the key, Ohio Wesleyan was within 55-51 with 5:05 remaining.

The Bishops were within 59-53 on Heil's steal and lay-in with 2:26 to play, but Warden converted another 3-point play on Wittenberg's next possession, then hit a layup with :49 left that gave the Tigers a 64-53 lead.

Brizendine led the Bishops with 18 points. Heil added 15 points and led Ohio Wesleyan with 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Dopoulos contributed 12 points.

Heil's 9 rebounds increased her career total to 495, moving her into 10th place on the Ohio Wesleyan list ahead of Anissa Haynes, who compiled 490 rebounds during the 1997-2001 seasons.

Bishop led the Tigers with 27 points. Warden finished with 23 points and a game-high 19 rebounds.

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