Second-seeded Wabash (21-7) captured its second-consecutive NCAC Men's Basketball Tournament title after defeating top-seeded Wooster (21-6) 81-80 on Saturday afternoon in Wooster, Ohio. As tournament champions, the Little Giants have earned the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament, which will open with first and second-round games next weekend on campus sites. The Division III men's selection show will take place on Monday at 1:00 p.m.
There were 12 lead changes and eight ties in a game that started with six-consecutive threes. Wabash took an early 12-point lead (15-3) in the first four minutes of play. The Little Giants would extend their lead to 17 (34-17) with eight minutes remaining in the half before Wooster would go on a 9-0 run to bring the score within eight at 34-26. The two would exchange baskets and go on runs in the final minutes of the frame, with Wabash taking a six-point lead into the locker room, 48-42. Wooster would outscore the Little Giants, 38-33, in the final 20 minutes of play, but Wabash held on for the 2023 title. Over the last four times these two teams have met, three of the four games were decided by one point.
After recording 16 points, seven rebounds, three steals and one assist in the championship game, Wabash's Ahmoni Jones (6'4''-F) collected the Al Van Wie Award as the tournament's most valuable player. Joining Jones on the 2023 NCAC Men's Basketball All-Tournament Team was Little Giant teammate Edreece Redmond (6'0''-PG), who recorded 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals in the title game. Wooster's Jamir Billings, who went 10-of-15 from behind the arc in the championship game, was also named to the all-tournament along with teammate Nick Everett (6'8''-F), who netted 19 points, gathered four boards, earned one block and dished one assist in the title game. For their efforts, Denison's Ricky Radtke (6'8''-F) and DePauw's Sam Jacobs (6'4''-F) were selected to the all-tournament.

Courtesy of northcoast.org

All-Tournament MVP: Ahmoni Jones (6'4''-F) of Wabash
Player of the Year: Jack Clement (6'0''-PG) of Ohio Wesleyan
Defensive Player of the Year: Brice Hill (6'5''-F) of Wittenberg
Newcomer of the Year: Sam Jacobs (6'4''-F) of DePauw
Coach of the Year: Doug Cline of Wooster

All-NCAC First Team 2023

Clement

Hales

Billings

Buccilla

Jones

First Team
Jack Clement (6'0''-PG) of Ohio Wesleyan
Elijah Hales (6'4''-G) of DePauw
Jamir Billings (5'11''-PG) of Wooster
Vinny Buccilla (6'3''-G) of Wabash
Ahmoni Jones (6'4''-F) of Wabash

All-NCAC Second Team 2023

Hardaway

Kurt

Otasevic

Radtke

Rubin

Second Team
Najee Hardaway (6'2''-G) of Wooster
Turner Kurt (6'8''-F-1999) of Wooster
Djordje Otasevic (6'8''-F-1999) of Oberlin
Ricky Radtke (6'8''-F) of Denison
Darren Rubin (6'2''-G) of Denison

Third Team
Gefen Bar-Cohen (6'4''-F) of Kenyon
Nick Everett (6'8''-F) of Wooster
Brodgie Gordon (5'10''-PG) of Hiram
Henry Hinkle (6'0''-PG) of Ohio Wesleyan
Trey Killens (6'1''-G) of Wittenberg

All-NCAC All-Tournament Team 2023

Jones

Redmond

Billings

Radtke

All-Tournament Team
Ahmoni Jones (6'4''-F) of Wabash
Edreece Redmond (6'0''-PG) of Wabash
Jamir Billings (5'11''-PG) of Wooster
Nick Everett (6'8''-F) of Wooster
Ricky Radtke (6'8''-F) of Denison
Sam Jacobs (6'4''-F) of DePauw