Senior Isaac Roeder dropped in a career-high 26 points, and The College of Wooster men's basketball team shot 72.1 percent inside the arc in Saturday's 77-74 win over Ohio Wesleyan University at Timken Gymnasium.

While Roeder's points were crucial to the victory, it was ultimately a heads-up play on the defensive end by the senior that secured Saturday's win. He alertly fouled Ohio Wesleyan's Isaac Ward in the final two seconds to deny the Battling Bishops from getting off a game-tying 3-point attempt. Ward missed the front end of a one-and-one. Wooster junior Quincy Jones secured the rebound and was immediately tied up for a jump ball with three-tenths of a second remaining. With the arrow point towards Wooster, senior Isaiah Johnson alertly threw the inbounds pass off the back of an Ohio Wesleyan player to run out the clock.

Wooster's lead was 77-71 when first-year Tommy Vaughn Jr. hit both ends of a one-and-one with 19 seconds remaining. Peyton Frey answered with a 3-pointer to cut Ohio Wesleyan's deficit to three, then Wooster missed the front end of a one-and-one, giving the Battling Bishops a chance for the tie.

Wooster's lead was 13 as late as 73-60 with 4:36 to play. Roeder found Jones open for a dunk with 1:44 on the clock to push Wooster's lead to eight at 75-67. Next, an offensive rebound led to a Ward Ohio Wesleyan triple that made it a five-point game with just over a minute to play.

Back-to-back steals extended Wooster's lead to 63-45 just before the second half's midpoint. Senor Isaiah Johnson poked the ball away from Ward, then had a wide-open court en route to the fast-break dunk. Next, senior Jaiden Cox-Holloway intercepted a Phil Wallace pass before knocking down a jumper from outside the paint as the clock hit 10:47.

Wooster overcame some early 3-point success by Ohio Wesleyan to take a 37-27 lead at halftime. Roeder's dominance finishing at the rim factored heavily into the 10-point lead. He scored 15 points in the opening stanza on 7-of-8 shooting. As a team, Wooster shot 56.7 percent from the floor, and was even more impressive on 2-pointers, hitting just shy of 80 percent at 15-of-19.

Roeder shot 12-of-15, which included a perfect 2-of-2 from downtown, on his 26-point night. The senior passed out three assists and had two rebounds. Jones went 9-of-11 from the floor for 18 points and led Wooster with seven rebounds. Cox-Holloway finished with 12 points, six rebounds, and two blocked shots.

Wooster shot 55.6 percent (35-of-63) for the game and outscored Ohio Wesleyan 58-26 in the paint. Of note, Wooster's three turnovers are the fewest in a game since the Scots had three against Dickinson College in the 2014 NCAA Div. III Championship.

Frey led Ohio Wesleyan with 18 points and eight rebounds. Battle followed with 15 points and four assists.

Ohio Wesleyan shot 44.8 percent (26-of-58) and outrebounded Wooster 35-33.

Wooster improved to 5-11, 2-5 North Coast Athletic Conference. Ohio Wesleyan fell to 5-11, 2-5 NCAC.

Next, Wooster wraps up the first round of NCAC play with a 7:30 p.m. game at Denison University (10-6, 5-2 NCAC) on Wednesday, Jan. 21.