Trinity 64, Ohio Wesleyan 53

Nov. 17, 2007

Charles Houston sank a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws as Trinity opened the game with a 10-0 run and went on to defeat Ohio Wesleyan in the first round of the Midway Classic, hosted by the University of Chicago on Saturday in Chicago.

Ohio Wesleyan will face Lake Forest in the tournament's consolation game at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Host Chicago defeated Lake Forest, 70-59, in Saturday's opening game.

Jonathan Lewis opened the evening's scoring with a 3-pointer and B.J. Moon added a pair of free throws before Houston hit a pair of free throws and followed with a 3-pointer to give the Tigers a 10-0 lead just over 5 minutes into the game.

Senior post Ryan Rozak (Fairview Park/Fairview) hit a 3-pointer to put the Bishops on the scoreboard, but Trinity came back with 3-pointers by Moon and Houston to fuel a 10-2 run that stretched the Tiger lead to 20-5 with 12:14 left in the first half.

Ohio Wesleyan scored the next 7 points, with sophomore post Brent Pleiman (Russia) contributing a bucket and a pair of free throws and Rozak knocking down a 3-pointer to make it a 20-12 game at the midway point of the half, and the Bishops came within 26-19 on a pair of free throws by senior post Jesse Jean (Alexandria, Va./Hyde (Conn.) School), but Trinity opened up the lead to 12 points at halftime and stretched the margin to 44-26 on Moon's jumper early in the second half.

The Bishops rallied in the second half, trailing by 18 points at 56-38 at the midway point of the second half before holding the Tigers scoreless for more than 7 minutes. Meanwhile, sophomore guard Robby Gardiner (Dublin/Coffman) hit a jumper, senior post Dustin Rudegeair (Yellow Springs) had a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer, and Jean contributed a bucket to bring Ohio Wesleyan within 56-48 with 3:27 to play.

Another Rudegeair 3-pointer brought the Bishops within 60-53 with 1:15 left, but the Tigers put the game away at the free throw line.

Rudegeair led the Bishops with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Rudgeair, Gardiner and junior wing Kyle Holliday (Van Wert) shared the Ohio Wesleyan lead with 3 assists apiece.

Moon led the Tigers with 19 points, while Houston finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds.

Box Score