JACKSONVILLE, IL --- Wabash rallied from a 15-point first-half deficit to tie Illinois College at 44-44 midway through the final period of Saturday's championship game of the 2023 Bill Merris Tournament. The Little Giants could not get over the hump as the host Blueboys won their basketball tournament title in a 68-53 decision.
 
Wabash (2-2) struggled from the field in the opening period. The Little Giants shot 24 percent, going 8 of 33 overall and connecting on only 4 of 15 three-point tries. Illinois College (4-0) used a 13-for-31 first-half shooting effort to take the 15-point edge with 4:09 remaining in the opening period.
 
Sophomore Rich Brooks was Wabash's lone offensive bright spot in the first half. Brooks hit on 4 of 8 shot attempts to score 10 points in the first 20 minutes. He finished with a team-best 24 points, hitting 8-of-15 shots from the field, including 4-of-9 from three-point range.
 
Wabash jumped out to an eight-point lead in the early minutes of the contest. The Blueboys cut the lead to one point at 13-12 with 10:45 remaining in the first period. Wabash went scoreless for the next eight minutes as Illinois College took a 28-13 lead. Brooks scored eight points in the closing minutes of the period to cut the Blueboys' lead to ten at the break.
 
The Little Giants continued to cut into the lead in the second half, outscoring Illinois College 23-13 over the first nine-and-a-half minutes of the final period. Brooks and Randy Kelley kept Wabash in striking distance as Illinois College tried to make a run. A pair of free throws by Brooks with 8:15 remaining made it a three-point contest at 50-47 in favor of the home team. Illinois College scored the next nine points to move in front 59-47 with 3:53 remaining. Wabash closed to within eight points on a Brooks two-pointer, but the Blueboys pushed the lead back up to 17 points in the closing minute before settling for the 15-point victory.
 
Wabash forced 16 Illinois College turnovers and scored 19 points off the mistakes, but the Blueboys controlled the pain, scoring 28 points compared to 14 by the Little Giants in the lane. Brooks, Kelley, and Avery Beaver combined for 29 points off the Wabash bench. The Little Giant starters scored 24 points, with Ahmoni Jones accounting for 11 of those points. Jake Mazrimas led Illinois College with 24 points. Josh Harris added 14 points, and Buzz Ritzel chipped in 13 points.
 
Wabash looks to regroup with another road contest Tuesday night at Earlham College. The Quakers picked up a 65-57 win at Wabash last season.