NEW CONCORD, OH – Senior Brandon Candella (West Chester, OH/Lakota West) and junior Malcolm Heard II (Wilmington, OH/Wilmington) combined for 38 points as Wilmington opened its Ohio Athletic Conference slate with an 84-69 victory Muskingum Thursday.

"I thought it was great getting a road win," said WC head coach K.C. Hunt. "Anytime you win on the good road in the OAC, it's a good win. We came out with the energy and emotion to take the early lead. We shared the ball and it was nice for us to rebound as a group. We've been waiting for our guards to, as we like to call it, get their noses dirty."

Wilmington was able to impose its will on the host Muskies in seizing control early. The Fightin' Quakers scored 21 unanswered points to take a double-digit they wouldn't relinquish. Junior Klarke Ransom (Richwood, OH/North Union) scored eight of his 11 first-half points in the game-controlling stretch.

On the heels of the 21-0 run, Wilmington added a 16-2 spurt to push its lead to 24 points.

"We didn't turn them over the way we have been turning teams over," said Hunt. "But, we were able to take them out of what they wanted to run and contest their shots."

Muskingum only committed 10 turnovers, but the Muskies only shot 32.2 percent from the field in taking a 20-point deficit into the locker room.

Heard finished with his third double-double of the season, scoring 19 points with 12 season-high rebounds. He added four blocks and three assists. Candella scored a season-high 19 points, while Ransom finished with a season-high 11 points.

Sophomore R.J. Leppert (Liberty Township, OH/Lakota East) distributed a career-high eight assists.

Wilmington (3-3 overall, 1-0 OAC) hosts Marietta 3 p.m. Saturday in their home opener.