Chloe Burdette
Contributing Writer
The game between the Wooster Fighting Scots and the Ohio State Buckeyes followed the script that most of the 7,000 in attendance expected.
The bigger, taller, faster and more athletic Buckeyes used a 12-0 run to begin the contest and a 19-3 run midway through the second half to cruise to an 88-63 victory in this exhibition contest at Value City Arena in Columbus.
While it was evident early on in the game that Ohio State held a great advantage physically, Wooster refused to back down. On the positive side, Wooster’s defensive efforts held the Buckeyes to 43 percent shooting from the field and only 12 percent from three-point range.
They were only out-rebounded 46-44 and forced Ohio State into 14 turnovers. The Division III Fighting Scots battled hard against the Division I Buckeyes, definitely matching their intensity and playing tough throughout the contest.
While it took Wooster a little time to overcome some understandably nervous play, the Buckeyes came out and raced to a 12-0 lead in the first four minutes of the game.
At that point, Wooster Head Coach Steve Moore summoned guard Simon Texidor ’19 from the bench. Texidor’s three-pointer at the 14:58 mark gave Wooster its first points and seemed to calm the team down. Two more three-pointers by Texidor capped a 9-2 run to bring the Scots within five points at the 12:35 mark.
The game stayed tight for much of the remainder of the first half, but a late run by the Buckeyes stretched the lead to 17 points, 39-22, at the halftime break.
In the first half, Texidor was outstanding, leading the Scots with 11 points on 4-9 shooting and 3-6 from three-point range.
Considering Wooster only connected on seven shots total in the first half, Texidor accounted for half of the first half offense.
Contributing to their offensive struggles was problematic ball handling, leading to 14 turnovers, poor free-throw shooting — going 4-10 from the charity stripe — and foul trouble.
The second half was a much better showing for the Scots. It appeared as if the team had calmed some of the nerves that plagued them in the first half, and they were only outscored 49-41 in the last 20 minutes of the game.
Leading the way for the Scots in the second half was Danyon Hempy ’20. Hempy scored 15 points on 5-11 shooting from the field, 3-6 from three-point range and 2-2 from the free throw line.
“Playing Ohio State was a great opportunity and learning experience for our team,” Hempy remarked. He went on to say, “It is not every day that we get to step on the court against a high-level DI team. I believe games like these set us up for great success during the season because we won’t see a team as good as the Buckeyes during our regular season.”
When he was asked about playing Ohio State and also being from Ohio, Hempy explained, “Growing up, I have always been a huge Buckeye fan. From football to basketball to just supporting the school in general, Ohio State was my favorite college growing up. You’re on the center stage with thousands of people watching us do what we love. It’s an exhilarating experience and I am thankful I was able to be a part of it.”
Wooster handled the ball more effectively in the second half. They cut their turnovers in half, shot the ball much better from all areas and continued to display their trademark hustle while competing hard to the final horn.
With two Division I opponents, Kent State University and Ohio State University, in the rear-view mirror, Wooster now gets ready for its official season opener back in the Division III ranks with a unique early season North Coast Athletic Conference contest versus the visiting Oberlin College Yeomen on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 7:00 p.m.