WILMINGTON, Ohio - Collin Barker scored a career-high 22 points, but the Wilmington College men's basketball team shot 25.8 percent from the floor in an 87-57 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) defeat to Baldwin Wallace University at Fred Raizk Arena on Saturday afternoon.
The Quakers took a 15-14 lead on a Barker layup with 7:31 to play in the first half, but the Yellow Jackets, who beat WC 83-82 in Berea earlier this season, scored the next 11 points and eventually built a double-digit advantage (29-19) on an Anthony Mazzeo steal and layup with 2:11 to play until halftime.
BW, which led 34-23 at the break, opened the second half with six consecutive points from Mazzeo followed by another basket, prompting a timeout from Wilmington Head Coach Micah Mills. The visitors kept up the pressure, however, and opened up a 20-point advantage three minutes later. Consecutive dunks from Izaiah Cathy and Obed Achirem seemed the breathe some life into the home crowd, and a the bank was open for Wilmington native Kellen Baltazar, who cut the deficit to 56-41 with a three-pointer at the 11:36 mark. Unfortunately for WC, a quick five points for the Yellow Jackets pushed the visitors' lead back to 20 and all but put the game away.
Baldwin Wallace finished the game 32-of-61 (52.5 percent) from the field and 17-of-21 (81.0 percent) from the free throw line. Wilmington was a missed shot away from shooting exactly the same from the floor in both halves, finishing the first half 8-of-33 and the second 8-of-34. The Quakers did make 18-of-25 (72.0 percent) from the free throw line. Both teams shot under 30 percent from distance with the Yellow Jackets winning the rebounding battle 45-37.
Three Yellow Jackets - Ashton Price, Mazzeo and Ray Ellington - finished in double figures with Price's 22 points leading all scorers. Jackson Simmons added eight points, nine rebounds and four assists. Barker's 22 matched Price while Achirem turned in eight points and eight rebounds.
Wilmington heads to Ohio Northern University on Wednesday. Tip-off from the ONU Sports Center is slated for 7 p.m.
