GREENCASTLE, Indiana – The College of Wooster men's basketball team was unable to score on a pair of chances to take the lead in the final 10 seconds of Sunday's heartbreaking 60-58 loss to DePauw University at Neal Fieldhouse.
Sophomore EJ Kapihe's 16 points off the bench kept Wooster (2-6, 1-2 North Coast Athletic Conference) in the game during which both teams could not get going from the field. Kaphie secured an offensive rebound in the final 30 seconds and was fouled. He made both free throws as part of a 17-of-20 day at the stripe for Wooster to pull the Fighting Scots within 57-56.
Next, DePauw's (5-4, 2-2 NCAC) Brady Kunka was fouled with 18.7 seconds remaining and missed both free throws, giving Wooster a chance for the lead. The Scots could not find an open look, then turned the ball over with 7.6 seconds on the clock after trying to pass down to Kapihe. Free throws by Grant Niego upped the lead to 59-56 before junior Ashton Price hit his two free throws with three seconds remaining that made it a one-point game again at 59-58.
Caleb Washington split a pair of free throws with 1.5 seconds on the clock, giving Wooster a chance at a three-quarters court shot for the win at the buzzer, which fell short.
Outside shooting is where Wooster found offensive success at the onset, with the Scots scoring their first 12 points of the game on triples. The third bucket in that stretch came following a Jaiden Cox-Holloway steal, and junior Jamir Billings found Price open for three. Price's floater following a steal by sophomore Vinni Veikalas had Wooster up 15-8, while DePauw ultimately took a 32-30 lead at halftime, thanks to getting three free throws on a foul at the buzzer.
Screen and roll success and two blocked shots by sophomore Isaac Roeder helped Wooster to a 52-45 lead with 5:52 left in the game. Senior Nick Everett scored six of his eight points during a 6-0 stretch, with four coming at the free throw line. However, Wooster went scoreless for nearly five minutes after building the lead, and DePauw eventually took over for good on a Sam Jacobs layup at the 2:11 mark.
Kapihe's 16 points were followed by Price's 14. Cox-Holloway's eight rebounds marked Wooster's high total, while Kapihe added seven, including three on the offensive end. Billings had six rebounds and four steals to go with his six points.
Washington scored 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting to lead DePauw. Niego followed with 12 points, Camden Brown secured eight rebounds, and the Tigers scored 26 points off the Scots' 18 turnovers.
Both teams shot 33.3 percent from the floor. Wooster came in at 17-of-51, while DePauw finished 19-of-57. The Tigers made just three three-pointers on 23 attempts. The Scots had 21 points off three-pointers, but made just one in the second half.
Four of Wooster's six losses have come down to the wire, with Sunday's marking the fourth by four or fewer points.
Next, Wooster plays Suffolk University (Massachusetts) (4-3) at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, December 19 at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. The game is part of the program's annual Steve Moore Sunshine Classic, which also features University of Saint Joseph (Connecticut) (7-2) and Bethany Lutheran College (Minnesota) (6-2).