Cooper, Port Star in 104-95 Triumph Over Cedarville

James Cooper dips under Cedarville's 6-10 Daniel Rose for an acrobatic lay-up Saturday.

WOOSTER, Ohio – James Cooper (Springfield, Ohio / Springfield South) became the 30th player in College of Wooster history to score 1,000 career points, accomplishing the feat during the first half Saturday night, and then played an integral part of a 20-6 run to start the second half which sent the Fighting Scots on to a 104-95 win over visiting Cedarville University in Timken Gymnasium.

It marked Wooster’s third victory over an NAIA rated team this year, as the Fighting Scots, who are ranked No. 1 in NCAA Div. III (D3hoops.com) and remain undefeated at 8-0, beat Walsh University Nov. 25 (then-No. 7 in NAIA Div. II), Georgetown (Ky.) College Nov. 28 (then-No. 8 in NAIA Div. I), and now Cedarville (No. 9 in NAIA Div. II).

Following an up-and-down opening 20 minutes, which included 10 lead changes and seven ties before the Scots took a 48-47 advantage into the locker room, Cooper buried a pair of 3-pointers during Wooster’s first three possessions of the second and then Tom Port (Avon Lake, Ohio / Avon Lake) drove to the hoop for lay-ups on the ensuing three possessions to give the Scots a 60-51 lead.

Cedarville (9-2) interrupted Wooster’s run briefly with a field goal (60-53) only to see Andy Van Horn (Loudonville, Ohio / Loudonville) knock down a 3-poitner, Cooper make a no-look pass to a wide open Evan Will (Dublin, Ohio / Dublin Coffman) underneath for a lay-up, Cooper connect on another 3-ball, and Tim Vandervaart (North Canton, Ohio / Hoover) contribute a lay-in off an offensive rebound, putting the Scots firmly in control of the game at 70-53.

Wooster built its advantage to as much as 21 (81-60), however, the Yellow Jackets made things a little interesting down the stretch. They chipped a 19-point margin (87-68) down to 97-91 with 1:00 to go, primarily using 3-pointers as they hit on 5-for-9 during that segment.

Devin Fulk (Newark, Ohio / Licking Valley), who earlier fed Port a behind-the-back pass for a breakaway dunk, was able to seal the game with 3-of-4 free throws over the final minute.

For the game, Port led all scorers with 29 points, just four short of his career-high, as he made 11-of-13 two-point field goals as well as a pair of 3-pointers. Cooper was also efficient during a 23-point night, which gives him 1,013 in just his 68th career game, as he hit 8-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-6 3-pointers.

Vandervaart overcame an off-night from the free throw line (5-for-9) to score 19 points while also collecting eight rebounds and coming up with four steals, both team-highs. Fulk added 12 points.

Ryan Short highlighted Cedarville, scoring 28 points via 11-of-14 field goals and three free throws, and passing out a game-high nine assists.

Overall, the difference may have been turnovers, as the Yellow Jackets committed 19 to Wooster’s nine. The Scots also shot 39-for-69 from the field (.565) and kept Cedarville under 50 percent (.474; 37-for-78), however, the Yellow Jackets had a significant advantage in the rebounding department (46-34).

Next, Wooster will board a plane Sunday morning and be right back in action Monday night in southern California, as the Scots take on Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (5-2) at 7:30 p.m. PST.