HIRAM, Ohio – December 14, 2024 – Hiram started strong and led by as many as 9 points before Wittenberg stormed back in a 77-63 loss on Saturday afternoon at Price Gymnasium.

The conference clash featured strong defense from the Terriers, who held Wittenberg to just one 3-pointer for the entire game and a 38% FG pct in the second half. Hiram's defense also tallied a season-high 10 blocks.

Hiram's Trent Jakacki had a team-high 19 points on 8-15 shooting from the field, while also leading the team with six rebounds (T-most), three assists and two blocks (T-most). Mitchell Wiechecki had a career-high 16 points, while Collin Jones added nine made free throws as part of a 13-point performance.

The Terriers came to play at the outset, with Jakacki and Wiechecki leading the team to a 19-10 advantage through the first 7:09 of game time. Jakacki had 13 of his 19 points in the first half and has now scored in double-figures in eight of his nine games this season.

Tristan Martin-Marshall later sunk a layup to make it a 25-17 Hiram lead before Wittenberg went on a 14-2 run to pull ahead by four points. The Tigers kept their defensive intensity for the remainder of the half and grabbed a 43-32 lead heading into the intermission, with Trey Killens making a buzzer-beating layup to cap off the first 20 minutes.

Hiram cut the deficit to single-digits on two different occasions in the second half, as Jones and Wiechecki attacked the painted area for a pair of layups. Despite the strong efforts from the two underclassmen, the Terriers weren't able to pull closer than 9 points for the remainder of the second half. Killens (21 points) and Eddie Brown (16 points) spearheaded the Tigers with an efficient afternoon on the offensive end; the duo combined for 15-29 shooting from the field.

The Terriers men's basketball team will return to the hardwood on Wednesday, when they host Adrian at 7 p.m. inside Price Gymnasium in Hiram, Ohio.