HIRAM, Ohio – December 11, 2023 – The Terriers went head-to-head with the No. 8 team in all of Division III, a Northeast Ohio powerhouse that had yet to lose this season.
Hiram nearly pulled off the upset, playing with grit and tenacity on both ends of the court before losing by single digits, 104-95, to Case Western Reserve on Monday evening at Price Gymnasium.
There were five ties, four lead changes and no margin larger than 16 points in the game. The Terriers led twice early in the second half, but the depth of the Spartans kept their undefeated season alive.
Junior
Trent Jakacki, the leading scorer among all Division III schools in Ohio this season, finished with a game-high 27 points.
Manuel Devora Violan added 22 points, while
Levi MacAdam and
Galdan Batzorig each scored 14 points. Jakacki scored or assisted on 47 of Hiram's 95 points (49.5%).
Hiram was all over the court throughout the game, swarming the Spartans on the defensive end and attacking the painted area on the offensive side of the ball. The home team held the advantage in points in the paint (50-40) and points off turnovers (21-14).
The Terriers went on an 8-5 scoring run to end the first half; CWRU led, 43-40, with the Price Gymnasium crowd buzzing with excitement.
It was a fast-paced, high-scoring second half that saw the two teams combined for 116 points and high-percentage shooting. Hiram led 44-43 and 48-47 early in the period, with Jakacki, Devora Violan and MacAdam all making an offensive impact.
The Spartans would keep the foot on the gas pedal, shooting nearly 70% in the second half and earning 21 trips to the free-throw line in the process. Five different Case Western Reserve student-athletes recorded at least 15 points, with the bench accounting for 43 total points.
Hiram continued to apply pressure, but CWRU gradually pulled away and eventually took a 97-81 lead with 2:48 remaining, which held through the final whistle.
Jakacki scored 19 of his 27 points in the half, including multiple layups down the stretch. He now leads the NCAC with 24.0 PPG and ranks among the top-10 in Division III in scoring average. Hiram All-American Rod Swartz is the only player in program history to average at least 24 PPG in a season (29.3 in 1986-87, 28.5 in 1985-86 and 26.0 in 1984-85).
Hiram will next take on Hilbert on Friday at approximately 7 p.m. inside Price Gymnasium; the men's team will follow the women's team, which tips off at 5 p.m.
