Oberlin, Ohio – The Oberlin College men's basketball team held a five-point lead with 1:35 left to play in the game, but the visiting College of Wooster Fighting Scots had all the bounces go their way down the stretch as they escaped town with a 57-53 win over the Yeomen on Wednesday night at Philips Gym.
 
The Yeomen, who trailed by seven at the half, led 53-48 following an Andre Campbell layup. However, the Scots' leading scorer Danyon Hempy responded with a 3-pointer and after Oberlin came up empty on its next trip down, a kickout 3-ball by Keonn Scott off an offensive rebound put Wooster out in front 54-53.
 
The Yeomen still had their chances in the final seconds but a turnover led to a Scots' fastbreak layup with six ticks still to expire. Following a timeout, Oberlin tried to find space for a potential game-tying 3-pointer but never got off a shoot as the Scots stole the ball once again to seal the victory.
 
Oberlin won nearly every team statistical category outside of free throw attempts as the visitors were sent to the line 21 times – making 15 for a 71.4 percent clip. The home Yeomen took just seven freebies, leaving four big ones off the board as they cashed in only three of their limited attempts.
 
Neither side shot the ball particularly well from the floor, especially in the first half as the two foes combined to go 16-of-56 (28.5%) in the opening session which resulted in Wooster holding just a 25-17 cushion at the intermission.
 
With 15:29 to play in the game, Oberlin would take its first lead since it was 4-3 in the early going on a Dorde Otasevic hook shot that capped a 13-4 Yeomen spurt to give them a 30-29 edge.
 
It would stay nip-and-tuck for a significant stretch from that point on but the Yeomen would eventually create some significant separation as a steal and runout layup by Campbell swelled the OC lead out to 49-40 at the 5:37 mark.
 
However, the Scots kept coming and tightened up on the defensive end as Joshua Friedkin made it a 51-46 game with 3:03 left to play but the Yeomen managed just two points the rest of the way as the Scots completed the comeback heist.
 
Christian Fioretti led Oberlin with 11 points, while Campbell added 10 points to accompany his game-high eight rebounds. Isaac Finestone chipped in nine points and seven boards in the setback. 
 
Hempy, who came in averaging a league-best 22.9 points per game, scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half to pace the Scots.
 
The Yeomen, who have already secured the five seed in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, fell to 14-10 overall and 8-9 in the NCAC. Wooster moved to 18-6 and 12-5 in conference play.
 
Oberlin will honor its six seniors on Saturday and closeout the regular season with a 3 p.m. clash against Wabash.