SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – Kenyon College senior forward John Bray poured in a career-high 25 points Wednesday, but his efforts alone couldn't push the Lords basketball team to a win against Wittenberg University. The host Tigers converted nearly 53 percent of their shots and claimed a 73-62 North Coast Athletic Conference victory at Pam Evans Smith Arena.

Bray dominated the interior, going 10-of-12 (83.3 percent) and adding a 5-of-7 showing (71.4 percent) at the free throw line. He was consistent throughout the game, too, scoring 11 points in the first half and 14 in the second. He added four rebounds and five assists, all while topping his previous single-game best of 19 points, which he scored during his sophomore season against Oberlin College.

Unfortunately for Kenyon, Bray was the only hot hand on the offensive side of the court. The Lords' four other starters combined for 29 points without any of them hitting double-digit totals. Junior guard Tim Connolly wound up scoring nine. Junior center Brien Comey added eight points and senior guard Cooper Handelsman scored seven points and served up five assists.

Kenyon (5-11, 3-6 NCAC) fell behind early, but put together a nice 14-2 run to vault to a 19-12 lead with 12:12 remaining on the first-half clock. The run featured six points from Bray and three-pointers from both Connolly and Alexander Powell.

Wittenberg (5-11, 3-6 NCAC) stormed back take a 20-19 lead at the 8:52 mark and a 31-29 lead at the end of the half. Tigers freshman post Chris Sloneker, who finished the game with 15 points, scored 11 in the first half.

Sloneker was a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor and led the five Tigers starters, who together shot 23-of-45 (65.7 percent). The few shots that Wittenberg did miss were cleaned up by a rebounding crew that posted a huge 42-21 advantage on the boards. Both Shane Edwards and Jaelin Williams grabbed 11 rebounds for the Tigers. They also combined for 18 points, while Cody Phillipi chucked in a team-high 17 points for the winning team.

Kenyon regained the lead early in the second half after opening play with buckets from Connolly and Handelsman and the game remained tight throughout the first ten minutes of the half. Right around the midway point, however, Wittenberg went on an 11-0 tear that turned a 45-43 deficit into a 54-45 lead. Edwards took over the game during that stretch and scored six of those 11 Wittenberg points.

The Lords pulled within five points a few times down the stretch, but could get no closer. The Tigers went ahead by as many as 13 late in the game and won for the second time in their last three contests.