CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN -- Top-seeded Wabash (20-8) captured its third-consecutive NCAC Men's Basketball Tournament title after defeating second-seeded Wooster (18-10), 75-64, on Saturday afternoon at Wabash College’s Chadwick Court. As tournament champions, the Little Giants have earned the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament and will find out who and where they will play on Monday, February 26 at 1:00 p.m. during the NCAA selection show. The NCAA Tournament will open with first and second round games next weekend on campus sites.
#1 WABASH (20-8) 75, #2 WOOSTER (18-10) 64
- In a tightly contested first half, the Little Giants went into the locker room with a two-point advantage, 37-35, after making the most out of second-chance points with 13.
- A three by Wooster junior guard Ashton Price (Bay Village, OH/Bay) would give the Fighting Scots a 40-39 advantage 51 seconds into the second, but Wabash senior forward Ahmoni Jones (Indianapolis, IN/Pike) answered back with a three of his own and the Little Giants never relinquished the lead.
- Three Wabash players reached double-figure scoring, including Jones, junior guard Vinny Buccilla (Fishers, IN/Hamilton Southeastern) and senior guard Avery Beaver (Lafayette, IN/Jefferson).
- The Little Giants were led by Jones’ game-high 22 points, while junior post Noah Humpmann (Sunset, SC/Covington Catholic) collected a game-high 11 rebounds and five blocks.
- The Scots also saw three players reach double-digit scoring, including sophomore guard/forward Jaiden Cox-Holloway (Cleveland, OH/Richmond Heights), junior guard Jamir Billings (Lorain, OH/Lorain) and senior forward Nick Everett (Salem, OH/West Branch).
- Cox-Holloway led Wooster with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Billings dished a game high seven assists.
- As a team, Wabash connected on 25-of-57 field goal attempts and made 11-of-17 chances at the line, while Wooster shot .433 (26-of-60) from the floor and went 5-for-8 at the charity stripe.
- The Little Giants outrebounded the Fighting Scots 40-31, while Wooster was more effective in the paint with 36 points compared to Wabash’s 22.
2024 NCAC Men's Basketball All-Tournament Team
Cameron Smith, Denison
Trey Killens, Wittenberg
Nick Everett, Wooster
Ashton Price, Wooster
Noah Hupmann, Wabash
Tournament MVP (Al Van Wie Award) - Ahmoni Jones, Wabash