Defensive Battle Goes DePauw's Way
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
20 | 41 | 61 |
|
|
21 | 35 | 56 |
Team Stats
DePauw
| Game Statistics | DePauw | Wittenberg |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (21-51) | (20-61) |
| Field Goal % | 41.2% | 32.8% |
| Rebounds | 43 | 28 |
| Assists | 9 | 7 |
| Turnovers | 12 | 3 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 6 | 9 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 10 | 5 |
| Pts in the Paint | 26 | 30 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 2 | 2 |
| Bench Pts | 10 | 22 |
SPRINGFIELD, OH - Three Tigers scored in double figure, but Wittenberg Men's Basketball came up just short in a defensive slugfest, losing 61-56 to visiting DePauw in a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) contest.
The loss was Wittenberg's second of the season to DePauw, which improved to 7-5 in the league and 14-7 overall. The Tigers saw their three-game win streak end as they dropped to 7-4 in the NCAC and 14-6 overall.
Wittenberg is now part of a three-way tie for second place in the league standings, one-half game ahead of DePauw and two behind defending champion Denison, which visits Pam Evans Smith Arena on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Similar to the first meeting between the two teams, which ended in a 70-43 decision in favor of DePauw, Wittenberg struggled against the visiting Tigers' defense. The host Tigers were held to 20-of-61 shooting from the field (32.8 percent), including a 5-of-22 performance from three-point range after hitting just 31.8 percent in the first meeting, including a season-low 1-of-18 from long range.
Despite Wittenberg's inability to find a flow offensively, the second meeting featured eight ties and a whopping 12 lead changes. After Wittenberg scored the last seven points of the first half to take a 21-20 lead into the halftime break, the visiting Tigers turned the tables in the closing minutes of the second half. Wittenberg's last lead came with 6:38 remaining at 46-45 - from there, DePauw outscored the host Tigers 16-10.
Wittenberg was outrebounded in the game by a 43-28 margin, but the host Tigers countered with outstanding ball control as they committed a season-low three turnovers, compared to 12 for DePauw.
Individually, Eddie Brown (Lewis Center, OH / Olentangy Orange) led the way with 14 points and seven rebounds, followed by Sam Miller (Ashville, OH / Teays Valley) with 13 points and four boards in 17 minutes off the bench. Tyler Galluch (Springfield, OH / Catholic Central) was the other Tiger in double figures offensively as he finished with 12 points to go along with five rebounds.
Written By: Ryan Maurer