DELAWARE, OHIO — The Hiram College men’s basketball team was defeated by Ohio Wesleyan University, 54-52, today (Saturday, Feb. 5) in a North Coast Athletic Conference game in Delaware. [Game Stats]
With the loss, the Terriers drop to 10-11 overall and 4-8 in the NCAC. The Battling Bishops improve to 13-8 overall and 9-3 NCAC.
Hiram fell behind early as OWU scored the game’s first nine points to grab the early lead. The Terriers rallied and later tied the game at 17-17 on a layup by senior two-time All-NCAC guard Chris Roberts (Cleveland/Kennedy) with 5:40 left in the period. Hiram took its first lead of the game at the 3:33 mark thanks to a layup by junior forward Chris Meyer (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) with the score of 21-20. The Terriers led the rest of the half and took a 27-22 advantage into the locker rooms.
OWU quickly erased Hiram’s lead beginning the second half with a 7-0 scoring run to regain control, 29-27, with 17:48 left to play. Hiram hung around not allowing the Bishop lead to grow to more than five points and took a 46-44 lead late in the half on a jumper by freshman guard Aaron Stefanov (Stow/Stow-Munore Falls) with 5:28 to go. OWU eventually took the lead for good at the 4:10 mark, but only had a two-point edge, 54-52, with 1:22 left to play. OWU failed to increase its lead on its remaining possessions and Hiram had a final opportunity to tie or take the lead in the final seconds, but the shot missed its mark and gave the Bishops a 54-52 victory.
OWU had two players in double-figures led by Andy Winters with 13 points on four-of-10 shooting (40.0 percent). Reuel Rogers added 12 points and Marshall Morris contributed with a game-high 14 rebounds.
Hiram had one player in double-digits in Meyer with a game-high 15 points on seven-of-11 shooting (63.6 percent). He and junior guard Jamaal Watkins (South Euclid/Brush) also grabbed a team-tying high eight rebounds.
Hiram will travel to Meadville, Pa. for a NCAC game against Allegheny College on Wednesday, Feb. 5. The game will be part of a basketball doubleheader with the Terrier women’s team. The women will tip-off against the Gators at 6 p.m., followed by the men at 8 p.m.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Hiram College Sports Information Director Jeff Hoedt by phone at (330) 569-5495 or by email at hoedtjm@hiram.edu.
