HIRAM, Ohio – February 5, 2025 – Hiram again went neck-and-neck with Ohio Wesleyan on Wednesday evening inside Price Gymnasium, hanging around with one of the top teams in the NCAC before losing, 87-75, in a game that was much closer than the final score would indicate.
The Terriers trailed by just 1 point at halftime and shot better than its opposition in both halves, but OWU capitalized on its 24 trips to the charity stripe (19 made free throws). Henry Hinkle, the leading scorer in the NCAC this season, scored a game-high 21 points to propel his team to an 8-4 record in conference play.
Hiram's balance was on full display, with the shooting prowess of
Brock Makrancy (19 points), the playmaking ability of
Trent Jakacki (nine assists) and the burst off the bench from
Collin Jones (14 points) all fueling the home team in a hard-fought game by both teams. The Terriers shot 7-of-12 from beyond the perimeter in the first half to stay close and finished the contest with a season-high 3-point percentage of 50% (11-22).
The first half saw neither team lead by more than 7 points, with Makrancy making three 3-pointers in the first 2:14 of game time and Ohio Wesleyan battling back to eventually take a lead as large as 6 points. Makrancy hit another jumper right before the halftime buzzer to put the deficit at 42-41 through the first 20 minutes.
Ohio Wesleyan was aggressive in driving to the hoop and absorbing contact throughout the second half, with 11 of its 45 second-half points coming at the free-throw line. Seven different opposing student-athletes made at least two free-throws in the game, providing enough of a push to gain a double-digit advantage before the final buzzer.
Jones made multiple dunks throughout the second half to provide a spark, adding to a freshman season that now includes 9.5 PPG, which is the fourth-best mark on the roster and the most among first-year student-athletes.
The Terriers will return to action on Saturday, when they follow the women's team for the second half of a doubleheader against Kenyon. Tip-off is slated for approximately 4 p.m. in Gambier, Ohio.
