The victory moves Wabash into a tie for third place with Ohio Wesleyan in the North Coast Athletic Conference standings.
The Little Giant defense held Ohio Wesleyan scoreless from the field in the final seven minutes of the game to come away with the win. The Battling Bishops entered the game averaging 72 points a game and 46.5-percent shooting from the field. Travis Schwab, the leading scorer for Ohio Wesleyan and fifth in the conference with an average of 16.8 points per game, was held to 13 points.
Wabash shot 40-percent from the field, struggling early in the contest to allow Ohio Wesleyan to take a 10-2 lead. The Little Giants went on a 9-0 run to take an 11-10 lead with 10:23 remaining in the first half, capped by a Brady Claxton (Shelbyville, IN/Shelbyville) jump shot. Both teams traded baskets throughout the half, including a slam dunk by the Bishops' Seth Rhea just ahead of the first half buzzer to tie the game at 25-25.
Trading baskets was a familiar theme in a game that saw nine ties and 21 lead changes in forty minutes of basketball. The last time the Bishops enjoyed a lead came on a three-point basket by Kyle Comstock with 7:07 left in the contest. It was the last time Ohio Wesleyan would score from the field.
Wabash drew even with 6:29 left in the game as junior guard Kip Chase (Bedford, IN/Bedford North Lawrence) drove toward the basket, missed an inside shot, then gathered the rebound and hit the second-chance opportunity to tie the game at 46-46.
The Bishops' Brandon Cole hit two free throws with 3:24 left in the game to cut the Wabash lead to two points. The Little Giants hit 5-of-8 free throws in the final four minutes to win the contest.
Junior Joe DesJean (Indianapolis, IN/Perry Meridian) tallied his ninth double-double of the season, leading Wabash with 19 points and 11 rebounds. DesJean, the leading shotblocker in the NCAC also added two more blocks to his season total, giving him 53 for the year. Claxton finished with 11 points for the Little Giants.
Wabash (10-9, 7-4 NCAC) moves above the .500-mark for the first time this season since winning its opening contest of the year. The Little Giants will travel to Granville, Ohio on Saturday to play Denison University at 3 p.m.