DELAWARE, Ohio – March 11^, 2021 – Despite 28 points from Brodgie Gordon, Hiram men's basketball fell to Ohio Wesleyan, 63-55, on Thursday at Branch Rickey Gymnasium. 

The Terriers and Battling Bishops traded blows for much of the first half with neither team getting too far out in front of each other. Sherman Cox drilled a three point shot at the 12:16 mark of the first quarter giving the road squad a 14-11 lead. Hiram took a 22-17 lead with 8:14 left on a Brodgie Gordon jump shot making for the largest lead of the half for the Terriers.

OWU went on a 5-0 run to tie it back up at 22 at the 7:31 mark of the second half.

Gordon was able to tie the game with 20 seconds left in the first half, but Ohio Wesleyan hit a three point shot with five seconds left in the half to give them a 36-33 lead heading into the locker room.

The Battling Bishops came out strong in the second half, stretching their lead to 44-35 with 17:16 left in the second half.

Hiram was able to storm back however, thanks again to another Gordon bucket. The guard hit a three point shot with 9:57 left in the half to make it 48-46 Terriers.

The two teams kept it close down the stretch as Oliver Clingain made a layup with 3:41 left, shrinking the OWU lead down to 53-52.

A three point shot by Tony Carter and a layup by Nick Carlson however gave the home squad a 58-52 lead and the Battling Bishops were able to pull away and win 63-55.

Hiram drops its season opener and falls to 0-1 while Ohio Wesleyan improves to 5-6.

Gordon led the Terriers with 28 points, while Clingain added seven points and eight rebounds. Nassiem Salem chipped in with seven points off the bench.  

Hiram shot 34.3 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from three-point range.

The lead changed three times over the course of the game.

The Terriers and Ohio Wesleyan will meet again on Sunday, March 14 inside Price Gymnasium with tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m.