Crawfordsville, Ind. — Rich Brooks buried a game-tying three-pointer with one second left in regulation, then delivered a series of crucial plays in overtime to lift Wabash College to an 82–78 North Coast Athletic Conference victory over Oberlin on Saturday afternoon at Chadwick Court. The Little Giants rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit behind Brooks' 25-point performance and a barrage of timely threes to secure their first conference win of the season.
 
Brooks, who went 8 of 10 from the field and 5 of 7 from deep, led a Wabash (4-2, 1-1 NCAC) offense that drained 16 three-pointers and stormed back after Oberlin (5-4, 0-2 NCAC) seized control early in the second half. The Yeomen grabbed a 54–44 advantage with 10:36 remaining, fueled by Milun Micanovic's finishing around the rim and a pair of Adam Navarre drives. Wabash slowly countered with perimeter shooting and defensive stops, culminating in a frantic final two minutes.
 
Wabash trailed 70–67 with under 90 seconds to play when Brooks attacked the lane for a driving layup, trimming the deficit to one. After Oberlin answered with another Navarre basket, Gavin Schippert rolled to the rim for a layup off a Luke Ellspermann assist to bring the Little Giants back within 70–69 with 44 seconds left.
 
Oberlin regained a three-point lead on a Zach Bronson basket with 16 seconds remaining, but Wabash executed its final possession perfectly. After a timeout, the ball swung to Brooks on the right wing. He rose and drilled a contested three with one second on the clock, tying the game at 72 and igniting the Chadwick Court crowd. Wabash stole the ensuing inbound pass but could not get off another shot before the horn.
 
Brooks' late-game heroics carried into overtime. After Oberlin scored first for a 74–72 lead, Brooks attacked off the dribble, drew a foul, and sank both free throws to tie it. Moments later, he jumped a passing lane for a steal, setting up a transition opportunity that led to a Luke Ellspermann basket. Wabash never trailed again.
 
Keegan Manowitz added a key three-pointer midway through the overtime period, and the Wabash defense delivered consecutive stops, forcing Oberlin into perimeter attempts as the Little Giants closed the game on a 10–4 overtime run. Ellspermann finished with 13 points and six assists, while Deric Cannady scored 14, including four three-pointers. Colton Stowers added seven points, and Schippert chipped in four.
 
Wabash controlled most of the first half, hitting nine three-pointers and building an 11-point lead on a Brooks dunk with 1:47 remaining before halftime. Oberlin trimmed the margin to 35–29 at the break and then unleashed its best scoring stretch of the afternoon, outscoring Wabash 21–7 to take its largest lead at 54–44.
 
Micanovic paced Oberlin with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Navarre scored 13 and Rob Magner added 10. The Yeomen dominated the paint, 38–18, but Wabash's 43.2% three-point shooting proved the difference.
 
Wabash plays Kalamazoo College in a non-conference tilt at Chadwick Court on Wednesday evening.