UNOH Survives Defensive Struggle Against Siena Heights

LIMA, OH - Offense was hard to come by Wednesday night in The Garage as UNOH tussled with Siena Heights in a low scoring affair. The Racers had just enough in the tank to put themselves on the right side of a defensive struggle edging past the Saints 56-53 in the program's lowest scoring contest of the Westerlund Era. The night also marked the program's lowest offensive output in any winning effort since 2020 and lowest in a conference victory since 2014 (55).

UNOH trailed for just 77 seconds of the first 20 minutes holding the lead by as many as nine points, but the Saints were half a step in front at the break, 30-29. 

Siena Heights opened the second half 7-2 to take their largest lead of the game, 37-31, with 16:58 to play, but the Racers answered right back with a 7-0 run of their own to swipe the lead back. Despite the low-tempo pace, the teams battled hard on both ends trading the lead seven more times and pulling even four times putting the game tied 53-53 with 2:36 remaining.

The offensive woes continued down the stretch hitting the Saints hardest as they finished the night 0-4 from the field. The final bucket was claimed by the Racers with 57 seconds left in the game and it put them on top for good as they added a free throw in the final seconds to finish off their first conference win of the year.

Three Racers posted double-figures led by Caleb Chapman's eleven off the bench. Chapman filled all the stat categories grabbing six rebounds with two steals, one block and one assist. Alex Benson and Jyheim Spencer both scored ten followed by Grant Pikkart who finished with seven. Benson did his own stat stuffing earning two boards, two assists, two steals and two blocks while Spencer pulled down eight rebounds with three blocks. One of the WHAC's top scorers, Antonio King, was held without a field goal for just the second time in his career earning all of his points at the charity stripe, but he fought hard to lead in other ways recording game highs in both rebounds, 11, and assists, 4.

UNOH will be home two more times before the end of the year taking on Lawrence Tech Saturday, December 6 and Defiance December 13. The 2025 half of the season will conclude on the road with a trip to Aquinas on December 17 before a 16-day break in conference play.