B-W: 20th-Ranked Baldwin-Wallace Men's Basketball Team Falls to Ohio Weseyan, 98-68, in Rochester, N.Y.

BEREA, OHIO -- The 20th-ranked Baldwin-Wallace College men's basketball team lost to Ohio Wesleyan University, 98-68, today (Saturday, November 24, 2007) in the first round of the University of Rochester Holiday Inn Airport Tournament in Rochester, New York.

With the loss, the Yellow Jackets, 1-2 overall, will play the loser of host University of Rochester or Cortland State (N.Y.) in the consolation game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

In the first half, B-W jumped out to an 11-9 lead at the 16:59 mark on an Andrew Bene (Medina/Highland) jumper. Then Ohio Wesleyan went on a 19-0 run to take a 28-11 lead at the 12:14 mark when junior wing Kyle Holliday hit a three point field goal. OWU built its biggest lead of the half of 18 points at 31-13 with 11:40 left when senior wing Brian Cafarella hit a three pointer. B-W then outscored the Battling Bishops, 28-18, including a 9-0 run to close the half when freshman guard Zane Meeder (Erie, Pa./Fairview) scored on a layup. OWU lead at the intermission, 49-41.

In the second half, Ohio Wesleyan extended its lead to 18 points at 75-57 with 9:15 left when senior post Dustin Rudegeair hit a jump shot. The closest the Yellow Jackets would get was 13 points at 75-62 with 8:44 left when senior guard Brendan Schuler (Fairview Park/Fairview) stole the ball and scored on a layup. OWU outscored B-W, 23-11, to build its largest lead of the game at 30 points at 98-68 with 42.9 seconds remaining.

B-W was led by Schuler with 20 points and sophomore Kyle Brown (Strongsville) with 13 points. Bene chipped in with 11 points and senior guard Tyler Sekerak (Corry, Pa./Corry) added 10.

Ohio Wesleyan shot 58.2 percent overall from the field (39-of-68) and connected on 15-of-27 from three point range as the Battling Bishops were led by Rudegeair with 25 points and senior guard Casey Teeters with 14.

Yellow Jacket fans are reminded that they can listen to all B-W men's and women's basketball games on campus radio station WBWC, 88.3 FM, or via the Internet at www.wbwc.com.

Following tomorrow's game, B-W will return to Berea and begin preparations for its home opener on Thursday, November 29 when they host Cleveland cross-town rival Case Western Reserve University in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in the Lou Higgins Center at 7:30 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact B-W Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX machine at 440-826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To contact Head Coach Steve Bankson, please call him in his office at 440-826-2039 or e-mail him at sbankson@bw.edu. You can get all of the latest B-W athletics information by visiting our Web site at www.bw.edu/athletics.

Game Notes #3 vs. Ohio Wesleyan University

The BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE YELLOW JACKET men's basketball team will travel to Rochester, New York to participate in the University of Rochester Holiday Inn Airport Tournament on Saturday and Sunday, November 24-25. The Yellow Jackets will face Ohio Wesleyan University in the first round on Friday, Nov. 24 at 6:00 p.m. and then play either host Rochester or Cortland State (N.Y.) University on Sunday, Nov. 25 at either 1:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m.

RADIO -- Baldwin-Wallace College campus radio station WBWC, 88.3 FM, broadcasts selected Yellow Jacket games, home and away. The games also can be heard via the WBWC's Internet Web site at www.wbwc.com. The pregame show begins 10 minutes prior to tipoff. Fans also can listen to the game via Internet at www.wbwc.com.

BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE
LOCATION: Berea, Ohio
NICKNAME: Yellow Jackets
CONFERENCE:  Ohio Athletic
2006-2007 RECORD:  18-9
2007-2008 RECORD:   1-1
LAST GAME:      Lost to Penn State Behrend, 73-68, in Erie, Pa. on Nov. 18
HEAD COACH:     Steve Bankson
B-W RECORD:     409-314
YEAR AT B-W:    28th
CAREER RECORD: 690-428, 44 years
SERIES RECORD:   B-W leads, 28-26
NEXT GAME: Nov. 25: Consolation or Championship game at either 1:00 or 3:00 p.m.

OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
LOCATION:   Delaware, Ohio
NICKNAME:    Battling Bishops
CONFERENCE:   North Coast Athletic
2006-2007 RECORD:    18-10
2007-2008 RECORD:    1-1
LAST GAME:      Beat Lake Forest (Ill.), 56-42, on Nov. 18 in Chicago, Ill.
HEAD COACH:     Mike DeWitt
SCHOOL RECORD:     108-106
YEAR AT SCHOOL:     Ninth
CAREER RECORD:  158-181 in 14 years overall

Pre-game Setup -- The Baldwin-Wallace College men's basketball team will look to get back on the winning track with a win against traditional rival Ohio Wesleyan University in the first round of the University of Rochester Holiday Inn Airport Tournament in the Rochester, New York. The winner of this game will play the winner of the Rochester versus Cortland State (N.Y.) game in the championship round in the Louis Alexander Palestra Gymnaisum. The consolation game is at 1:00 p.m.

The Yellow Jackets enters this game with a 1-1 record following a 73-68 loss in the Penn State Behrend Tournament to the host school in the championship game. B-W defeated Fredonia State (N.Y.), 94-76, in the first round. A year ago, B-W was 18-9 overall.

Ohio Wesleyan also enters this game with a 1-1 record after a third place finish at the Midway Classic in Chicago, Illinois last weekend. The Battling Bishops dropped their first round game to Trinity (Texas) University, 64-53, but rebounded in the consolation round to defeat Lake Forest (Ill.) College, 56-42. OWU was 18-10 a year ago.

The All-Time Series Between B-W and Ohio Wesleyan-- This is the 55th meeting between Baldwin-Wallace College and Ohio Wesleyan University. The Yellow Jackets lead the all-time series 28-26.

In the Yellow Jackets' Last Game vs. Penn State Behrend -- Penn State Behrend -- 73, Baldwin-Wallace -- 68 -- In Baldwin-Wallace's last game, a 73-68 loss to host Penn State Behrend in the championship game of the Penn State Behrend Tournament in Erie, Pennsylvania, the 20th-ranked Yellow Jackets were led in scoring by 6'4" junior transfer forward Kyle Brown (Strongsville) with a game-high 21 points. In addition, 5'11" senior two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference guard Brendan Schuler (Fairview Park/ Fairview) had 19 points and 6'6" junior center Andrew Bene (Hinckley/ Medina Highland) had 11. Bene also led the Yellow Jackets in rebounding with eight, Schuler had seven and Brown added six.

After trailing most of the game, B-W went on a 14-0 run to take the lead midway through the second half. Behrend regained the lead with a 22-10 run and B-W lost for the first time this winter. For the game, B-W made just 41 percent of its field goal attempts (25-of-61), including 10-of-26 three-pointers (38.5 percent).

For their efforts at Behrend, both Brown and Schuler were named to the all-tournament team.

The Baldwin-Wallace College Starters and Information -- Baldwin-Wallace College averages 81.0 ppg. and gives up 74.5 ppg. for a plus 6.5 ppg. differential. The Yellow Jackets shot 50.4 percent from the floor at Penn State Behrend, but it was the tale of two games. B-W shot 61.5 percent against Fredonia State (N.Y.) but just 41 percent against Behrend in the title game.

Look for veteran Yellow Jacket Head Coach Steve Bankson to give at least 10 players court time. Traditionally, B-W likes to run with the basketball and will play aggressive man-to-man defense. Look for Bankson to start 6' 6" Andrew Bene (Hinckley/ Medina Highland) and 6'4" sophomore transfer Kyle Brown (Strongsville via Division II Hillsdale, Mich.) at the post positions. In the backcourt, look for 6' 0" senior defensive specialist senior Tyler Sekerak (Corry, Pa./ Corry Area), senior two-time All-OAC point guard Brendan Schuler (Fairview Park/Fairview) and 6'1" sophmore guard Louis Tumblin (Elyria/ Senior) to start. Brown is the leading scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game to go with 4.5 rpg. and a 51.7 field goal percentage (15-of-29) and 46.2 (six-of-13) from beyond the arc. Schuler is scoring with 15.0 ppg. with a team-leading 10 assists. Bene is third with 11.5 ppg. and a team-best 8.0 rpg. Sekerak scores 9.5 ppg., has a team-high five steals and nine assists. Tumblin is fifth on the team in scoring with 6.0 ppg.

Off the bench, look for Bankson to play 5'11" junior Academic All-OAC guard Dennis Santiago (Brook Park/Midpark), 6' 2" sophomore guard Paul Glass (Medina/ Senior), 6' 5"freshman forward Kyle Rockwell (Salem/ West Branch), 5 ' 7" freshman point guard Jake Cayton (Magnolia/ Sandy Valley) and 6'5" freshman forward Jeff Cannan (Dublin/ Coffman). Santiago is averaging 5.5 ppg., 3.5 rpg., and is perfect (six-of-six) from the foul line, Glass averages 2.5 ppg., Rockwell scores 5.0 ppg. and tallies 3.5 rpg. and Cayton averages 3.5 ppg.

The Ohio Wesleyan University Probable Starters and Information-- Ohio Wesleyan scores 54.5 ppg. and gives up 53.0 ppg for a plus 1.5 ppg. differential. The Battling Bishops shot just 30.8 percent from the floor last weekend at the University of Chicago and connected on just 33-of-107 shots, including just 18-of-60 (30 percent) from three-point range. OWU is a scrappy team that forced both Trinity (Texas) and Lake Forest (Ill.) into making 36 turovers.

Look for Head Coach Mike DeWitt to utilize all nine of his returnees, including a pair of starters. Look for DeWitt to rely on his two returning All-North Coast Athletic Conference post players in 6' 5" senior Dustin Rudegeair and 6' 5" senior Jesse Jean. Rudegeair leads the Battling Bishops with 12.5 ppg. and 7.5 rpg. Jean moved into the starting lineup part way through the 2007-2008 season and this season is averaging 4.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg. Running the show at point guard will be 6' 0" senior Casey Teeters, who averages 7.0 ppg. and is tied for the team lead with four assists. Look for DeWitt to turn to 6' 2" senior Brian Cafarella and 6' 3" junor Kyle Holliday to fill the wings spots. Cafarella is second on the team with 9.5 ppg. and has made a team-leading five three-pointers. Holliday is a versatile player averaging 8.5 ppg. and 5.0 rpg. and tops the team with six steals.

Off the bench, look for 6'4" senior Ryan Rozak, 6'7" senior Elliot Kaple to play important front line positions. Also look for 6'3" junior Kyle Miller to rotate in at the wing position. He averages 4.0 ppg. and has two triples. 5'11" sophomore Robby Gardiner will back up Teeters at the point. DeWitt also used 6' 8" sophomore Breant Pleiman at Chicago and he scored 4.0 ppg.

Yellow Jacket Chatter

Yellow Jackets Picked Fifth in OAC Preseason Poll -- The Yellow Jackets were picked by the Ohio Athletic Conference coaches to finish fifth in the OAC preseason poll.

Next Thursday vs Case Western Resverve University -- On Thursday November 29, the B-W hosts the Spartans of Case Western Reserve University in their home opener at 7:30 p.m. in the Ursprung Gymnasium of the Lou Higgins Center.

Steve Bankson is Fourth All-Time in the OAC With 409 Coaching Wins -- Veteran Yellow Jacket Head Coach Steve Bankson is fourth all-time in OAC history and is the winningest men's basketball coach in school history with 400 victories and has a 409-314 record in 27 seasons. Bankson also has 690 career wins in 44 years overall and a 690-428 mark. Bankson also serves as the school's athletic director.

Catch More Coverage of Yellow Jackets' Basketball on Campus Radio Station 88.3 FM "The Sting" -- Every Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., you can tune into campus radio station WBWC, 88.3 FM, for more coverage of Yellow Jacket basketball. Sports Director Andrew Middleman and the WBWC sports team will be joined by Men's Basketball Head Coach Steve Bankson and Women's Basketball Head Coach Cheri Harrer to recap the previous week and preview the upcoming week's schedule. Occasionally there will be special guest appearances by a student-athlete from the programs.

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 B-W SID Kevin Ruple by phone at (440) 826-2327, by FAX at (440) 826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. B-W Head Coach Steve Bankson can be reached by phone at (440) 826-2039, by FAX at (440) 826-2192 or via e-mail at sbankson@bw.edu.