GRANVILLE, OH -- Top-seeded Denison (24-3) captured its second NCAC Men's Basketball Tournament title after defeating third-seeded Wooster (21-7), 79-68, on Saturday afternoon at Denison’s Livingston Gymnasium in Granville, Ohio.
As tournament champions, the Big Red 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, March 3, at 12:00 p.m. during the NCAA selection show. The NCAA Tournament will open with first and second round games next weekend on campus sites.
#1 DENISON (24-3) 79, #3 WOOSTER (21-7) 68
- After a competitive back-and-forth 20 minutes of action full of tight defense and clutch shooting, Denison went into the locker room with a three-point advantage, 37-34.
- In the second half, the momentum shifted several times, but with made free throws and timely buckets down the stretch, the Big Red were able to maintain the lead for the eventual 11-point victory.
- Two Denison players reached double-figure scoring, including junior forward Aidan King (Westerville, OH/Olentangy Orange) and senior wing Tyler Miller (Hudson, OH/Hudson). King led the Big Red with 15 points, to go along with five rebounds, while Miller added 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal. King's efforts throughout the tournament earned him the honor of Tournament MVP, receiving the Al Van Wie Award. Senior guard Darren Rubin (Dayton, OH/Oakwood) and senior forward Ricky Radtke (Willoughby, OH/University School) posted nine points apiece for the winners, with Rubin adding four assists and two rebounds and Radtke gathering six boards.
- Four Wooster players contributed double-digit points, led by senior guard Ashton Price (Bay Village, OH/Bay), who had a game-high 19 points. Junior guard/forward Jaiden Cox-Holloway (Cleveland, OH/Richmond Heights) produced 17 points, five rebounds and two steals, while senior guard Jamir Billings (Lorain, OH/Lorain) and senior forward Nick Everett (Salem, OH/West Branch) posted 10 points apiece. Everett added five rebounds and one block, while Billings recorded six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. His three swipes brought his career total to 324, which broke the NCAC record (323) that was set by Scott Tedder (1984-88).
- As a team, Denison connected on 23-of-59 field goal attempts, made 22-of-24 chances at the line and connected on 11 three-pointers, while Wooster went 23-of-57 from the floor and 17-for-20 at the charity stripe.
- The Fighting Scots slightly outrebounded the Big Red, 36-34, and was more effective in the paint with 32 points compared to Denison’s 20, and the Big Red’s bench outscored the Scots’ 43-10
2025 NCAC Men's Basketball All-Tournament Team
Henry Hinkle, Ohio Wesleyan
Vinny Buccilla, Wabash
Jamir Billings, Wooster
Jaiden Cox-Holloway, Wooster
Darren Rubin, Denison
Tournament MVP (Al Van Wie Award) - Aidan King, Denison