WOOSTER, Ohio — Wabash College used a dominant first half to build a commanding lead and held off a late rally to earn an 89-80 North Coast Athletic Conference road victory over the College of Wooster Fighting Scots on Saturday afternoon at Timken Gymnasium.
 
The win improved Wabash to 11-4 overall and 4-1 in NCAC play, while Wooster slipped to 7-8 overall and 0-5 in conference action. The loss marked Wooster's fifth consecutive league setback, the program's first five-game NCAC losing streak since the 1986 season.
 
Wabash seized control from the opening minutes, scoring on five of its first six possessions to open a double-digit lead. Rich Brooks and Luke Ellspermann each connected from 3-point range during an early 9-0 run, and Colton Stowers added two baskets in the paint as the Little Giants surged to a 16-3 advantage less than four minutes into the game.
 
The Little Giants continued to build momentum throughout the first half, shooting 62.5 percent from the field and knocking down eight three-pointers before halftime. Stowers drained consecutive triples midway through the period, and Keegan Manowitz came off the bench to bury two three-pointers during a 12-2 run that pushed the lead past 20 points. Josh Whack capped the half with a transition 3-pointer, sending Wabash into the locker room with a 48-26 lead.
 
Wooster responded with improved shooting after halftime, opening the second half with a 9-3 run behind Jaiden Cox-Holloway, who scored both inside and from the perimeter. Tommy Vaughn Jr. added back-to-back driving layups as the Fighting Scots attempted to chip away at the deficit.
 
Wabash answered each surge. Manowitz knocked down a three-pointer to halt Wooster's early push, and Stowers followed with a corner triple off a turnover to restore a 28-point cushion — the Little Giants' largest lead of the game — with 13:38 remaining. Nate Matelic and Ellspermann added baskets during a steady stretch that kept Wabash comfortably in front.
 
Wooster made its final push inside the last five minutes, using interior scoring and free throws to close within single digits. Cox-Holloway and Vaughn combined for 12 points during the stretch to trim the margin to nine with under a minute remaining. Wabash closed out the game at the free-throw line, with Whack, Ellspermann and Stowers converting late attempts to secure the road win.
 
Ellspermann led Wabash with 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including two three-pointers and nine free throws. Stowers finished with 17 points, while Whack added 15 points. Brooks contributed 11 points, Manowitz scored nine points off the bench on three 3-pointers, and Gavin Schippert added nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
 
Cox-Holloway paced Wooster with a game-high 22 points, all coming in the final 20 minutes of play. Vaughn added 18 points, and Isaac Roeder finished with 14 for the Fighting Scots, who outscored Wabash 54-41 in the second half but could not overcome the early deficit.
 
The victory marked Wabash's third win in its last four trips to Wooster and its 10th win in the past 13 meetings between the two programs.
 
Wabash returns to North Coast Athletic Conference action on Wednesday evening, hosting Ohio Wesleyan University at 7 p.m. at Chadwick Court in Crawfordsville, Indiana.