The College of Wooster men's basketball team did a much better job limiting 13th-ranked DePauw University's second-chance opportunities on Sunday afternoon, yet the Fighting Scots were unable to keep up with the Tigers' torrid shooting percentage, and that resulted in the guests completing the weekend sweep with a 95-85 win at Timken Gymnasium.

While DePauw (7-0) was kept in check with 11 second-chance points – 15 fewer than it had in Saturday's 100-97 win over Wooster (0-2) – it was actually a second-chance bucket turned old-school three-point play that proved to be the tipping point in Sunday's clash. Nolan Ginther knotted the score at 50 just 32 ticks into the second half, and his ensuing free throw put the Tigers up for good.

Wooster's up-tempo transition offense kept the Scots in the hunt for a few minutes, as freshman Aaron Whitehead finished a lay-in on the runout at the 14:38 mark that pulled the Scots within 60-57. However, DePauw responded with a 9-0 run, keyed in large part by two Nick Felke fast-break lay-ins, and the Tigers led comfortably the rest of the way.

One big positive for Wooster continued to be the Scots' ability – and willingness – to take charges, as the Black and Gold took five on the afternoon, including three by junior Hamilton Johnson. That upped Wooster's total on the weekend to 10.

Tayler McNeal surpassed 20 points for the third straight game (including exhibition contests). Photo by Anna Russell '23.

Wooster never led by more than one in the first half until the clock hit 4:15. That's when sophomore Tayler McNeal's floater in traffic didn't fall, but the guard stuck with the play, cleaned up his own miss, and bumped the Scots in front 41-39. Later junior Najee Hardaway connected on one of his signature driving layups that made it 43-41 at the 2:29 mark, and the Africana studies major drained a three-pointer with 1:20 remaining in the half to up Wooster's lead to 46-44.

The Scots led 50-48 at halftime, thanks to McNeal's driving lay-in in the final seconds.

McNeal paced Wooster with 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting, and he led the team with five assists and two steals. Styers (17) and Hardaway (14) joined McNeal in double figures in the scoring column. Both juniors corralled four rebounds, while freshman Eric Mudd's five boards and three blocked shots were both team highs.

Wooster shot 55.0 percent (33-of-60) for the game, was 8-of-21 on three-pointers, and turned the ball over 11 times.

Ginther stuffed the stat sheet with game-highs in points (26), fouls drawn (10), rebounds (8), and assists (6). Felke added 19 points and six rebounds.

DePauw shot 61 percent (36-of-59) for the game, went 11-of-20 from beyond the arc, and had a 34-20 rebounding edge.

Next, Wooster hosts Wabash College (2-2) at 4 p.m. on Saturday, February 20.