The game was close in the opening with Wabash taking a 10-6 lead on a jumper by Brady Claxton (Shelbyville, IN/Shelbyville) with 12:27 left in the first half. The Little Giants took a 19-10 lead when Nate Bell (Ft. Wayne, IN/Concordia Lutheran) hit a layup to start a Wabash run. The Little Giants reeled off an 18-8 scoring advantage over the next 7:36 to begin pulling away from the Lakers.
The scoring in the first half showed a balanced inside-outside offensive attack for Wabash. Joe DesJean (Indianapolis, IN/Perry Meridian), recently named to the D3Hoops.com Preseason All-American team, scored 16 points while grabbing six rebounds in the opening stanza. DesJean was nearly perfect from the field, hitting on eight of his 12 shots in the opening period. Claxton added 12 points in the first half, including two three-pointers.
Leading 39-21 at halftime, the Little Giants poured it on in the opening minutes of the second half. A layup by Eric Buck (Indianapolis, IN/Cardinal Ritter) opened the period, followed by another layup by Bell. Two driving layups by Claxton sent Wabash in front 49-21 and the rout was on.
The Little Giants took a 63-27 lead midway through the final period to cruise to the 77-54 final.
Claxton led the way with 23 points. DesJean added 17 points and eight rebounds. Senior Pleas Ferguson (Indianapolis, IN/Arsenal Tech) tossed in nine points, Buck had eight, and starting guard David Wagner (Belleville, IL/Belleville) scored four.
Wabash will play Illinois Wesleyan University in the championship game at 8 p.m. on Saturday after the Titans handed DePauw a 77-64 defeat in the second game. DePauw and Purdue University-Calumet will meet in the consolation game at 6 p.m.