Box Score GRANVILLE, Ohio-- Connor Seipel scored 24 points and James Johnson added 16 to lead second-ranked Wittenberg to an 80-63 victory over Denison on Wednesday evening at Livingston Gymnasium.
Denison got off to a fast start, leading 14-7 five minutes into the game, quickly gaining the unbeaten Tigers' attention. Wittenberg's leading scorer, Seipel, entered the game averaging 16.5 points per game. The Tigers stuck to their game plan and continued to feed their big man in the post.
With 9:24 left in the first half, Denison's Jack Coulter drilled a 3-pointer to make it a 26-24 contest. From that point, the Tigers put together a 19-4 run to close out the first half with a 45-28 lead. Seipel scored 21 of his 24 points in the first half and was 10-of-12 from the field in 18 minutes.
The Tigers opened the second half just as hot as they finished the first. A 15-4 run in the first four minutes of the second half gave Wittenberg a sizeable cushion that allowed them to cruise to their 12th victory in 12 attempts.
Denison drops to 4-8 overall and 1-4 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Conor Fenton led DU with 13 points and five rebounds on 6-of-11 shooting. Freeman Brou scored 10 points while leading Denison on the boards with six. Fenton and Freeman Brou also added three steals. Nate Haller scored eight points in 16 minutes off the bench and Fred Brou posted four steals in 10 minutes of action.
The Big Red shot 38 percent from the field (26-of-69) and were 5-of-29 (.172) from 3-point range. The Tigers shot 49 percent (30-of-61) and were 7-of-20 (.350) from beyond the arc.
Denison will try and bounce back on Saturday (Jan. 11) when they travel to Ohio Wesleyan for a 3 p.m. tipoff against the Battling Bishops.
