(WESTERVILLE, Ohio) – The Wilmington College men's basketball team played their final game of the 2023 calendar year Tuesday night on the road in the Rike Center at Otterbein University. They dropped the contest 77-49 and fall to 5-6 overall this season and 1-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). The Quakers trailed by just six points at halftime, but the Cardinals dominated the second half en route to their victory.
Hot shooting got the Quakers out to a 12-6 lead early in the first half. Jayden Lewis, Obed Achirem, Gavin Heimlich, and Rashid Chisholm all knocked down three-pointers to take this lead.
A 10-4 run followed for Otterbein as they tied the game at 16-16 with 11:42 to play in the first half. A Chisholm three-pointer concluded a 10-6 Quakers rally to put them back up four points at 26-22. The two teams traded blows to a 33-33 tie with 2:34 to play before the half. The Cardinals ended the half on an 8-2 rally to take a 41-35 lead into the locker room.
Their run would continue in the second half as they extended their lead to 54-38 after a layup with 15:20 remaining. The Quakers would try and punch back, cutting the lead back down to 13 at 55-42, but a 9-0 Otterbein flurry ensued to push them ahead 64-42 and put the game out of reach for Wilmington. The Cardinals would hold the Quakers to 14 points during the second half as they walked away with the conference victory.
Notables
- Junior Rashid Chisholm led Wilmington with 10 points in the game on 4-7 shooting, his first game of the season scoring in double-figures.
- Junior Gavin Heimlich led the team with six rebounds (two offensive, four defensive) and senior Matthew Dugue grabbed five (two offensive, three defensive) for the Quakers.
- Freshman Carson Miles dished out a game and season-high six assists.
- Junior Obed Achirem led the game with two steals.
- Chisholm had a game-high two blocked shots.
- The Quakers had six blocks to the Cardinals one.
What's Up Next
The Quakers have some time off for the holiday break, and will be back in Hermann Court for their next game against the Capital University Comets on Wednesday, January 3rd at 7:00 P.M.
These teams split the season-series last year, with Wilmington picking up a 76-73 win in Hermann Court on February 1st, 2023.
