CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. — Wabash outscored Kenyon 50-40 in the second half and used a decisive late 10-0 run to turn back the Owls 86-79 Saturday afternoon at Chadwick Court, capping Senior Day with a key North Coast Athletic Conference victory.
 
The Little Giants honored seniors Josh Whack, Rich Brooks, Gavin Schippert, Randy Kelley, and Sean Bledsoe prior to tipoff, then rewarded the home crowd by overcoming a three-point halftime deficit and pulling away in the final two minutes.
 
Wabash (15-8, 9-5 NCAC) took an early 6-4 lead before the visiting Owls (10-14, 4-11 NCAC) tied the game five separate times over a span of three minutes. Kenyon built its largest lead of the first half midway through the period. After Nate Matelic's jumper tied the game at 14-14, Will McDonald buried a three-pointer from the right wing, then added another triple at the 10:20 mark to cap a 6-0 surge that pushed the Owls ahead 20-14. Wabash answered behind Brooks, who scored on a hook shot in the lane, and Whack, who converted a pair of free throws to trim the deficit.
 
The Owls stretched the margin to six again at 28-22 after Marius Mazeika knocked down two free throws and McDonald connected from long range. Wabash responded with a 7-2 push. Brooks scored on a turnaround in the paint, and Whack drilled a three-pointer from the left side to pull the Little Giants within 32-30.
 
Kenyon closed the half by converting at the line and scoring in the paint, taking a 39-36 lead into the break.
 
The Owls nudged their lead to five early in the second half at 41-36 on a Graves layup and again at 49-44 following a Nelson drive. But Wabash began to seize momentum with its inside-out attack.
 
Matelic scored on a pull-up jumper, and Luke Ellspermann followed with a floating jumper off a turnover to cut the deficit to 49-48. After Kenyon extended the margin to 55-52 on a second-chance tip-in by Mazeika, Keegan Manowitz drained a three-pointer to tie the game at 55-55 with 11:29 to play.
 
The teams traded baskets before Brooks knocked down a three-pointer from the top of the key to give Wabash a 61-59 edge. Matelic added a three on the next possession to complete a 9-2 spurt and push the Little Giants ahead 64-61.
 
Kenyon answered behind Graves, who finished with a game-high 26 points, including 7-of-7 shooting at the line . His turnaround jumper tied the score at 61-61, and later baskets trimmed Wabash's lead to two.
 
With the score 65-63, Schippert delivered a pivotal sequence. After Whack missed on a second-chance attempt, Schippert grabbed the offensive rebound and converted a tip-in to extend the margin to 67-63. Moments later, he stepped into a three-pointer from the right wing to ignite a 7-0 run.
 
Ellspermann added a pair of free throws, and Whack converted a driving layup to cap a 10-0 burst that gave Wabash its largest lead of the game at 78-68 with 1:43 remaining.
 
Kenyon fought back behind Graves and Charlie Heywood, who added 13 points and 11 rebounds, cutting the deficit to five at 84-79 with 11 seconds left. Matelic sealed the outcome by hitting two free throws with 10 seconds to play.
 
Schippert recorded his third consecutive double-double and fifth of the season, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Ellspermann led Wabash with 17 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the field and 6-of-6 at the line. Whack added 16 points and six rebounds, Brooks scored 13, and Matelic contributed 14 off the bench.
 
For Kenyon, Graves' 26 points led three players in double figures. Mazeika finished with 13 points, and Heywood added 13 along with 11 rebounds.
 
Wabash shot 55.1 percent (27-of-49) from the field, 36.8 percent (7-of-19) from three-point range, and 78.1 percent (25-of-32) from the free-throw line. Kenyon (10-14, 4-11 NCAC) finished at 48.2 percent (27-of-56) overall, 30.0 percent (6-of-20) from beyond the arc, and 86.4 percent (19-of-22) at the line. Wabash held a 31-24 rebounding advantage and received 22 bench points compared to 12 for the Owls.
 
The victory moves Wabash into a tie for third place with DePauw and Wittenberg in the conference standings heading into the final week of the regular season. Denison sits in first place after defeating second-place John Carroll 87-70 on Saturday.
 
The Little Giants return to action Wednesday, Feb. 18, hosting Wittenberg University at 7 p.m. to wrap up the regular-season home schedule.