VIDEO INTERVIEW - WILL PATRICK & ANDREW RUSSELL
WILMINGTON, Ohio - The Wilmington College men's basketball team hit the century mark for the second time against Otterbein University this season in a 101-59 victory over the Cardinals in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) action from Hermann Court on Wednesday evening.
"We always talk about checking the boxes of energy, effort and execution, and we were pretty darn good in all areas tonight," Head Men's Basketball Coach K.C. Hunt said. "If we continue to play the right way on both ends of the flood, good things are going to happen for us."
Otterbein, which came into the game with a single victory on the season, hung with Wilmington for the first three minutes. An Andrew Russell three-pointer gave the Fightin' Quakers a 10-9 edge, and the hosts would score on their next three possessions thanks to baskets from Christian Jones, Jordan Jones and Nathan Scott.
The Cardinals would get back within five points when Justin Carter's triple fell through at the 14:39 mark, but the Quakers answered with a 18-9 run over the next seven minutes capped by a triple from Russell and two free throws from Christian Jones to give Wilmington a 35-21 advantage. Otterbein would get back within 10 points (38-28) at the 5:35 mark thanks to an old-fashioned three-point play from Carter, but the Quakers ended the half on a 17-0 run by scoring on seven of their final nine possessions.
Leading 55-28 at halftime, Wilmington scored 18 of the first 25 points in the second half. A Will Patrick three-pointer at the 14:08 park gave the hosts a 73-37 edge and put the game away.
Wilmington finished the game 38-of-64 (59.4 percent) from the field including 12-of-24 (50 percent) from three-point range. Otterbein, conversely, shot 37.1 percent (23-of-62) from the field and 21.1 percent (4-of-19) from distance. The hosts also held advantages in rebounding 35-25, assists 18-5 and turnovers forced 18-9.
Individually, Patrick led all scorers with 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting in 14 minutes off the bench. Russell added 17 points, Christian Jones scored 14 with four assists, and Scott and Jordan Jones each netted 13 points. Colin Myers chipped in seven points and six boards off the bench.
"In games that get lopsided, the game can sometimes get stagnant," Hunt said. "That didn't happen tonight. We shared and moved the ball in both halves tonight."
Carter led Otterbein with 17 points in defeat.
Wilmington (10-11, 6-9 OAC) sits in a tie for seventh place in the OAC standings with three games remaining. The Quakers will travel to Marietta College for a 3 p.m. contest on Saturday.
