Senior post Cierra Joiner scored 3 straight baskets to close out a game-opening 10-0 run and sophomore guard Lauren Denison buried back-to-back 3-pointers to kick off a 14-0 second quarter run as the Ohio Wesleyan women’s basketball team went on to record a 76-63 North Coast Athletic Conference win over Wooster on Wednesday in Wooster.

Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, DePauw has clinched the conference championship with a 14-0 record. Ohio Wesleyan and Oberlin are tied for second place at 12-3, and Wittenberg is in fourth place with a 10-4 record.

Sophomore guard Kasey Schipfer stole the ball and scored on the break to put the Bishops on the scoreboard and senior post Molly Delaney followed with a basket before Joiner scored 3 hoops in less than a minute for a 10-0 Ohio Wesleyan lead.

Masani Francis hit a 3-pointer for Wooster’s first points of the game, then added another bucket shortly thereafter, and when Melissa Burtscher hit from long range late in the period, the Scots were within 14-12.

Denison answered with a 3-pointer and Schipfer followed with a hoop to close out the first quarter, and with the Bishops up, 21-16 early in the second period, Denison drained a pair of 3-pointers to extend the margin into double figures. Joiner and Schipfer added 2 hoops apiece to stretch the lead to 37-18 with just under 4 minutes to play in the half.

The Fighting Scots rallied in the fourth quarter, assembling an 11-0 run that included a Burtscher 3-pointer and baskets from Francis and Harley Holloway that made it a 71-62 game with 1:44 remaining, but Schipfer hit a lay-in and Denison knocked down another 3-pointer to slam the door on the Wooster comeback.

Joiner led the Bishops with 20 points and 12 boards, and Denison and Schipfer finished with 18 points apiece. Sophomore guard Elizabeth Homan was credited with 7 assists.

Francis scored 14 points for Wooster.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Landon Martin poured in a game-high 30 points, cashing in on nine of his 10 free throws along the way to lead host Wittenberg to a 71-67 North Coast Athletic Conference win over the visiting Bishops Wednesday night in Springfield.

Martin was the difference for the Tigers, who improved to 13-10 overall and 11-5 in conference play. Daniel Asher added 12 points in the win, but no other Wittenberg player had more than seven.

OWU, meanwhile, made just 12 free throws as a team. Jack Clement finished with a team-best 23 points while Henry Hinkle added 18.

The Bishops fell to 14-10 overall and 11-6 in league play with the loss.