WILMINGTON, Ohio - The Wilmington College men's basketball team looks to return to winning ways on Saturday as the Quakers head to John Carroll University for an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) contest at the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The Teams: Wilmington and John Carroll (JCU). The Quakers enter the game with a 5-9 overall record including a 1-6 conference mark after a 69-63 defeat at Muskingum University on Wednesday. The Blue Streaks are 12-2 overall and 6-1 in OAC games having recently beaten Otterbein University 89-68 on the road.
The Coaches: Micah Mills enters his eighth season with the Wilmington men's basketball program with the 2022-23 campaign being his first as head coach. He helped WC to a 17-8 record during the 2018-19 season and came within a game of the program's first OAC regular season championships. Mills, a graduate of Ohio Valley University, spent three seasons as an assistant coach at fellow OAC member Otterbein University before coming to Wilmington. Pete Moran, a 2008 JCU alumnus, is in his sixth season as the helm of his alma mater. The Blue Streaks have made the second weekend of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament under Moran's guidance. He's the son of long-time JCU Head Coach Mike Moran.
The Players: Wilmington is led by a pair of frontcourt players as Abdul Kanu and Obed Achirem both score in double figures. Kanu leads the way at 14.8 points per game while Achirem nearly contributes a double-double with 11.5 points and 9.2 boards per contest. Bryce Bird averages 8.9 points per game for the Quakers while Domenic Farley assisted on over two baskets a game. Three Blue Streaks - Luke Frazier, Luke Chicone and Chase Toppin - score in double figures with Frazier and Chicone, both transfers from NCAA Division I institutions, scoring 15.9 and 14.1 points per game respectively. Henry Raynor grabs a team-best 5.1 boards per game.
Tale of the Tape: Points per game – Wilmington 70.4, JCU 80.4; opponents' points per game – Wilmington 78.2, JCU 68.1; field goal percentage – Wilmington 41.4, JCU 47.6; three-point percentage – Wilmington 33.3, JCU 36.3; free throw percentage – Wilmington 61.5, JCU 74.7; rebounding margin – Wilmington -1.6, JCU +2.7; assist-to-turnover ratio – Wilmington 0.65, JCU 0.90.
Recent History: Wilmington is 15-32 against John Carroll since becoming an OAC member prior to the 2000-201 season. Last season, the Quakers won both regular season meetings, but the Blue Streaks won 78-72 in an OAC Tournament game at Fred Raizk Arena. More information on the series history can be viewed by visiting the link above.
Top 25: John Carroll checks in at No. 10 in the most recently D3Hoops.com Top 25 Poll.
Tickets: Digital ticketing will be used for the contest. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of game time at the link above.
Coverage: Live statistics, live video and live audio of the game will be available – visit the links above.
Social Media: Wilmington athletics is represented on Facebook (Wilmington College Athletics), Twitter (@DubCQuakers) and Instagram (@DubCQuakers). Follow all the happenings of Wilmington College on social media by using the hashtag "#WeAreDubC".
Up Next: Wilmington closes out the first round of OAC play with a home game against Otterbein University at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
