Wabash scored 38 points in the paint against the Beavers to earn its first victory of the season. The Little Giants also hit the boards hard all night long, winning the rebounding battle 45-33. Joe DesJean (Indianapolis, IN/Perry Meridian) finished with his third double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds. He just missed a triple-double, managing a career-high six blocked shots. Pleas Ferguson (Indianapolis, IN/Arsenal Tech) led the scoring attack for Wabash with 20 points, including a perfect six-of-six from the free throw stripe. Ferguson also had a blocked shot to give Wabash seven for the game.
Sophomore guard Brady Claxton (Shelbyville, IN/Shelbyville) hit double-figures with 10 points. Ryan Short (Indianapolis, IN/Perry Meridian) just missed his first career double-double, finishing with eight points and 10 rebounds.
Trailing 12-7 after five minutes of play, Wabash came back to take one-point lead with 7:59 remaining in the first half when Matt Storm (Anderson, IN/Lapel) found Ferguson for a layup on a fastbreak. The Little Giants jumped out to a 27-20 lead in the final minute of the first half before going to the lockerroom up 29-22.
Wabash continued the pressure in the second half, outscoring Blackburn by ten points to earn the win. The Little Giants got key points off the bench from Brendan O'Hara (Indianapolis, IN/Brebeuf Jesuit) with four and Jesse Burgess (Camby, IN/Mooresville) with three.
Wabash moves to 1-5 with the win. The Little Giants will face undefeated and seventh-ranked Marian College in Saturday's championship game. The Knights are seventh in the latest NAIA Division II poll, and advanced to the championship game with an 80-65 win over Huntington College in the first game of the night.
Box Score - Marian 80, Huntington 65
Box Score - Wabash 68, Blackburn 51