OWU Begins Run of Key Saturday Home Games for Wooster

James Cooper scored 32 points on 10-of-14 shooting in the first meeting against Ohio Wesleyan.

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Blackout! The Wooster athletic department is encouraging all fans to wear black in support of the Fighting Scots for this Saturday night's game against Ohio Wesleyan.

In the first of three consecutive key Saturday home games, The College of Wooster welcomes Ohio Wesleyan University for a clash of two of the top teams in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Wooster is currently tied for first-place with Wittenberg University, as they have matching 8-1 league records, while lurking just one game back is Ohio Wesleyan at 7-2.

The Fighting Scots won this season’s first meeting with the Battling Bishops, retaking the lead twice over the final 1:03 to pull out an 80-77 victory on Dec. 8. Both teams have gone through some changes since then.

James Cooper led Wooster in that game, scoring 32 points. He carried the team through stretches, but it was Bryan Wickliffe who came through with the winning points on a put-back lay-up with :18 to go. While Cooper is still one of the NCAC’s top scorers (19.2 ppg), the Scots have become less reliant on him, utilizing a more balanced attack. In fact, Wooster has had five or more double-digit scorers during four of the last five games, and now four others are averaging 10.0-plus points – backcourt mates Brandon Johnson (12.3 ppg) and Devin Fulk (12.2 ppg) as well as forwards Wickliffe (11.2 ppg) and Marty Bidwell (10.6 ppg).

The Scots have also tightened up their defense. Only three opponents (out of 12) since the first Ohio Wesleyan game have reached the 75-point mark.

The Battling Bishops also have done a nice job of improving on the defensive end. They haven’t given up more than 70 points in the previous 10 games, and now lead the league in scoring defense (63.9 ppg).

While Wooster’s strength lies on the perimeter, Ohio Wesleyan is anchored by senior big men Dustin Rudegeair and Jesse Jean. The 6-5 Rudegeair possesses an inside and outside game, resulting in a team-best 15.1 scoring average, while the 6-5, 240-pound Jean effectively uses his size to put up 13.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks, the latter two being squad highs.

A veteran team, the Bishops have two other senior starters in wing Brian Cafarella and point Casey Teeters. Cafarella is their leading 3-point threat (.412; 40-of-97) and one of the conference’s top free throw shooters (.947; 36-of-38). Teeters, who averages nearly 3.0 assists, has added 30 3-pointers, while junior wing Kyle Holliday was Ohio Wesleyan’s best player in the Dec. 8 game, as he scored 17 points, including a couple of key 3-pointers.