Men's Basketball

the OAC Semifinals in University Heights

BEREA, OHIO —  Sophomore forward Tori Davis (Elyria/ Open Door) scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds tonight (Friday, February 25, 2005) as the sixth-seeded Baldwin Wallace University men's basketball team defeated seventh-seeded Mount Union College, 85-50, in an Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal game at the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center in University Heights.

The Yellow Jackets will advance to play the winner of the host and top-seeded John Carroll University versus fifth-seeded Muskingum College game in the OAC Championship Game tomorrow night at JCU at 7:30 p.m.

With its win, BW is now 19-8 overall and beat Mt. Union for the third time this year. The Purple Raiders end their season at 14-13 overall.

In the first half, BW jumped out early at 6-0 at the 16:44 mark on a pair free-throws by Tori Davis. The Yellow Jackets would lead by as many as 20 points at 40-20 with 2:13 left in the first half when Tori Davis scored on a jumper. BW shot 61.5 percent from the floor (16-of-26) and would take a 41-22 lead heading into the break.

In the second half, the Yellow Jackets had its largest lead of the game at 81-42 with 2:29 left in the game when freshman guard Brendan Shuler (Fairview Park/ Fairview) connected on a three-pointer en route to the 85-50 victory against Mount Union.

Joining Tori Davis in double figures for BW was his older brother, senior foward Thad Davis (Elyria/ Open Door) scored his 21st double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Schuler scored 11 points and senior guard Tom Harrington (North Royalton/ Parma Holy Name) added 10 points. Harrington also recorded three assists bringing his season total to a team-leading 156 assists and is two shy of Wayne Bilinovic (1986-90) for the BW single-season assist record of 158.

Mt. Union was led by senior wing Chris Blakely with 15 points and nine rebounds. Junior center Kyle Karpinski was the only other Purple Raider in double figures with 13 points. Karpinski also grabbed seven boards.

With Thad Davis' 12 points and 11 rebounds tonight, he now has 1,888 career points and 979 rebounds to rank second all-time in scoring and fourth in rebounding. Thad Davis has blocked 57 shots this season which is one shy of equaling of BW standout Kevin Braaten (1994-95) who blocked 58 shots during the 1994-95 season. Tori Davis has already matched Braaten's single-season record with 58 blocks this season.

BW will be looking to win its first OAC Tournament title since 1998 and the OAC's automatic bid to the 2005 NCAA Division III National Tournament.

FOR MORE INFORMATION,  Please visit the Baldwin Wallace Athletics website at www.bw.edu/athletics for up to date results and statistics.  For further inquiries, please contact BW SID Kevin Ruple by phone at (440)  826-2327, by FAX at (440) 826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu.  For more Yellow Jacket men's basketball information, please contact Head Coach Steve Bankson by phone at (440) 826-2039, by FAX at (440) 826-2192 or via e-mail at sbankson@bw.edu.

Game Notes #27 vs. Mount Union 

The sixth-seeded Baldwin Wallace University YELLOW JACKET men's basketball team will travel to University Heights, Ohio to play the seventh-seeded Mount Union College Purple Raiders on Friday, February 25, 2005 in the semifinals/ Final Four of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament.  The game will be played in the DeCarlo Varsity Center at 6:00 p.m.  The winner will advance to play the winner of the top-seeded John Carroll University and fifth-seeded Muskingum College game in the OAC Championship game on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at JCU.

RADIO -- Baldwin Wallace University campus radio station WBW, 88.3 FM, broadcasts all home and away Yellow Jacket games both live and over the College internet Web site.  The pregame show on radio starts 15 minutes prior to game time.  For more information regarding BW basketball broadcasts, please visit the BW internet Web site at www.bw.edu/athletics.

Baldwin Wallace University
LOCATION:      Berea, Ohio
NICKNAME:       Yellow Jackets
CONFERENCE:     Ohio Athletic
2004-2005 RECORD:       18-8
OAC RECORD:     10-8 
LAST GAME:      Beat Otterbein, 78-76 in O.T., on Feb. 23 in Westerville
HEAD COACH:     Steve Bankson
BW RECORD:     363-298
YEAR AT BW:    26th
CAREER RECORD:  40 yrs./ 643-414
LAST MEETING:   BW won, 76-59, in Alliance on Feb. 9, 2005     
SERIES STREAK:  BW, two straight 
SERIES RECORD:  BW, 68-43
NEXT GAME:      OAC Final Four on Feb. 25

MOUNT UNION COLLEGE
LOCATION:       Alliance, Ohio
NICKNAME:       Purple Raiders
CONFERENCE:     Ohio Ahletic
2004-2005 RECORD:       14-12
OAC RECORD:       9-9
LAST GAME:      Beat Capital, 95-74, on Feb. 23 in Bexley
HEAD COACH:     Lee Hood
MUC RECORD:     190-152
YEAR AT MUC:   13th
CAREER RECORD:  same 

The Pregame Notes -- The Baldwin Wallace University Yellow Jacket men's basketball team travels to University Heights and John Carroll University and will play arch-rival Mount Union College in the first of two Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Final Four games.  The winner advances to the OAC Championship Game on Saturday, Feb. 26 at JCU at 7:30 p.m.  The Yellow Jackets have already beaten the Purple Raiders twice this season in the regular season, but Mt. Union knocked BW out of last year’s OAC tourney following the same circumstances.
        The Yellow Jackets enter this game with an 18-8 overall record following its 78-76  upset win in overtime versus third-seeded Otterbein College at the Rike Center in Westerville on Wednesday (Feb. 23).  The victory broke a three-game losing streak.
        Mt. Union enters the game  with a 14-12 overall record following its 95-74 upset victory against second-seeded  Capital University at the Capital Center in Bexley.  The Purple Raiders are playing their best basketball of the season and have won four straight games and seven of their last nine contests.

The Baldwin Wallace Versus Mount Union College Series --  This is is the 112th all-time meeting between Baldwin Wallace University and Mount Union College in men's basketball.  BW leads the series, 68-43 after beating the Purple Raiders, 74-71, earlier this season on January 5, 2005 in Berea. and 76-59 on February 9 in Alliance.  A year ago, after BW won both regular season meetings with the Purple Raiders, Mt. Union beat and eliminated BW from the OAC Tournament with an 82-74 win in Berea on February 25, 2004.

The Division III National Poll --  Both teams come into this game unranked.

The Quarterfinal Games in the OAC Tournament on Wednesday Night -- In the first round/ quarterfinal games of the OAC Tournament, three of the top four seeds lost and top-seeded John Carroll University also had to come back from a six-point second half decifit to win.  JCU defeated eighth-seeded Wilmington College, 75-67 in University Heights. Mt. Union beat Capital, 95-74, in Bexley.  BW beat Otterbein, 78-76 in overtime, in Westerville.  Fifth-seeded Muskingum College beat fourth -seed Ohio Northern University, 81-63, in Ada.

The Semifinal Games in the OAC Tournament -- The  other OAC semifinal game of the OAC Tournament, John Carroll (21-4) plays Muskingum (17-9) at 8:00 p.m.

The Baldwin Wallace University Starters -- Look for veteran Yellow Jackets Head Coach Steve Bankson to start 6’4” senior two-time All-OAC forward Thad Davis (Elyria/ Open Door Christian School), his brother, 6’4” sophomore All-OAC forward Tori Davis (Elyria/ Open Door Christian School).  At the point guard will be 5’11” senior Academic All-OAC player Tom Harrington (North Royalton/ Parma Heights Holy Name) and at the wing will be 6’0” junior All-OAC player Keith Aufmuth (Brooklyn).  Rounding out the starters will be either 6’2”  sophomore guard Nick Meyer (Mentor), 6’0” freshman Tyler Sekerak (Corry, Pa./ Corry Area), 5’11” freshman guard Brendan Schuler (Fairview Park) or 6’5” sophomore wing  Matt Marks (Boardman). Thad Davis tops the team in scoring with 20.6 points per game, grabs 12.0 rebounds per game and is canning 59.6 percent of his field goals (201-of-337). Tori Davis is second in scoring at 18.6 ppg., second with 8.7 rpg., 54 blocked shots and 23 steals, and is shooting 60.3. percent from the floor (179-of-297).  Keith Aufuth is third in scoring at 9.9 ppg., first with 46 treys and is second with 89 assists.  Harrington is fourth in scoring at 8.8 ppg., first with 153 assists, second with 34 three-pointers and leads the OAC in assist-to-turnover ratio.  Meyer scores 3.7 ppg., and has 15 three-pointers.  Marks is averaging 5.0 ppg. and has 15 three-pointers.  Schuler is averaging 3.6 ppg. and has 46 assists and 11 three-pointers.  Sekerak is scoring 3.7 ppg., has 34 assists, is third on the team with 23 steals and has canned 10 three-pointers. Also off the bench, look for Bankson to play 6’4” sophomore forward Chad Clark (Fremont/ Ross) and 6’5” junior forward Charod Hale (Akron/Kenmore),

The Mount Union College Probable Starters -- Look for Head Coach Lee Hood to start  senior guards  Clay Sanders, 6’0”, and Brad Gerard, 5’10”, in the backcourt.  At the wing positions look for Coach Hood to start 6’1” senior Brett Hershberger and 6’5” senior Chris Blakely and down low at the center, look for him to start 6’6” junior Kyle Karpinski.  Karpinski tops the team in scoring at 18.6 ppg.,is second in rebounding at 5.7 rpg. and his second the team in blocks with 27.  Hershberger is second on the team in scoring at 13.1ppg. and third in rebounding at 3.7rpg.  He has also canned a team and OAC leading 66 three-pointers.  Gerard is third in scoring at 10.7 ppg. and has hit 58 three-pointers.  Blakely is averaging 9.6 ppg. and tops the team in rebounding pulling down 9.1 rpg., while also  tied  team  with Gerard for the team lead in steals with 29.  Sanders scores 5.2  ppg. and is second in the OAC and tops the team in assists  with 143
        Off the bench look for Coach Hood to play 6’1” senior guard Tony Basalla, 6’2” sophomore guard Eric Fender and  6’7” sophomore center Jason Smith, 6’6” sophomore forward Josh Long and 6’3” freshman wing Adam Stinogle.  Basalla is averaging 1.7 ppg. and has passed for 69 assists.  He splits time with Sanders at the point. Fender has played in 12 games and is averaging 4.3 ppg. and has 13 treys.  Smith is scoring 4.5 ppg. and grabbing 3.0 rpg. in 20 games.  Long is scoring 5.9 ppg. and grabbing 3.5 rpg. in 18 contests. Stinogle scores 4.6 ppg. in 17 games.

In the First Meetings Between BW and Mt. Union, on Jan. 5, 2005 in Berea: Baldwin Wallace --  74, Mt. Union -- 71 -- Brothers Thad Davis, a senior forward, and Tori Davis, a sophomore forward,each contributed a double-double  as BW defeated arch-rival Mt. Union, 74-71, at the Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea.  Thad Davis scored a team-high 28 points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. Tori Davis had 21 points and 10 rebounds.  Thad Davis also blocked a game-tying shot attempt by Mt. Union junior forward Brett Hershberger as time expired to preserve the win.  Mt. Union was led by junior center Kyle Karpsinski with a game-high 30 points and Hershberger had 19 points and five treys.

In BW's Last Game, on February 9, 2005 Versus Mount Union in Alliance:  Baldwin Wallace 76,  Mount Union 59-- In BW’s last game, a 76-59 victory against Mount Union College at the Timken Physical Education Building in Alliance, senior forward Thad Davis led the way with game-highs of 24 points 24 and 15 rebounds.  In addition, junior guard Keith Aufmuth had 17 points and sophomore forward and Tori Davis scored 12 and grabbed seven rebounds.  A big key for BW was making its final 12 foul shots.

In BW’s Last Game on Wednesday, Feb. 23 versus Otterbein in Westerville:  Baldwin Wallace -- 78,  Otterbein -- 76 in  Overtime -- In BW’s last game, a  78-76 overtime win against Otterebein, the Yellow Jackets won in Westerville for the first time at the Rike Center since since the 1998 OAC Championship Game. Leading the way was sophomore Tori Davis with a career-high 41 points, game-high 13 rebounds, blocked three shots and scored the game-winner with 1.2 seconds left in overtime.  Tori Davis canned 15-of-18 field goal attempts and made all 11 of his free throws.  In addition, senior forward and older brother Thad Davis who had 23 points. The win broke a three-game Yellow Jacket losing streak and a six-game losing skein at the Rike Center.

In Mt. Union’s Last Game on Wednesday, Feb. 23 versus Capital in Bexley: Mt. Union --95, Capital -- 74 -- In Mt. Union’s last game, a 95-74 quarterfinal win in Bexley against Capital, senior wing Brett Hershberger scored a game-high 24 points and made four-of-six three-pointers to lead the way. In addition, senior guard Brad Gerard had 20 points and three treys, junior center Kyle Karpinski had 17 points and senior point guard Clay Sanders had 14 points and six assists.  The win was Mt. Union’s fourth straight and seventh in its last nine games.

Yellow Jacket Chatter

Senior Thad Davis is Among BW Greats --  With his 1,876 career points, Thad Davis is second on College the all-time scoring list.  Thad also has 968 career rebounds and is fourth on that all-time list.  Thad also has become the school’s all-time leader in blocked shots this season.  With his 54 blocks this season, he now has 184 for his career and surpassed former BW All-American Kevin Braaten (1993-1997) who had 169 in his stellar career.

Senior Tom Harrington Also Among All-Time Leaders -- Tom Harrington is fourth all-time in assists with 403 in his career.  Harrington has led the OAC in assists the past two years with 139 a year ago and his current total of 153.  Harrington is just five assists shy of setting a school-record for assists in a single-season.  The record holder is former BW Academic All-American and current Garfield Trinity High School Head Coach Wayne Bilinovic (1986-1990) who set the record with 158 assists.  Harrington is also a finalist for this year’s ESPN/ Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year award.  He is just one of three Division III finalist.

Tori Davis Ties Single-Season Record for Blocked Shots -- With his three blocked shots at Otterbein on Wednesday, sophomore forward Tori Davis, Thad’s younger brother, has 58 blocked shots this season and has tied Kevin Braaten’s (1993-96) school single-season record.  Tori had a career-high-tying eight blocked shots in a game last week against Ohio Northern University in Ada.

Bankson is the Winningest BW Basketball Coach --  With his 363 victories at Baldwin Wallace, Yellow Jacket Head Coach Steve Bankson is the winningest coach in school history.  He is 363-298 in 26 years at BW. Bankson has a career mark of 644-414 in 40 years overall, including a 232-90 mark in 12 seasons at Lorain (County) Community College and a 49-25 marks in three years at the high school level.