GREENCASTLE, Indiana – DePauw University went without a field goal in the final 9:31, and The College of Wooster men's basketball team's forwards sealed the Tigers' fate with a trio of late three-pointers in the Fighting Scots' 68-54 Saturday afternoon win at Neal Fieldhouse.
Wooster (4-1, 2-0 North Coast Athletic Conference), which snapped DePauw's (7-2, 1-1 NCAC) five-game winning streak, ramped up the defensive intensity late, and as a result, the Tigers missed their final 12 field goals of the game. Due to the field-goal drought, DePauw's shooting percentage plummeted from 43.2 percent (16-of-37) to 32.7 percent (16-of-49). In fact, DePauw's field-goal percentage was nearly halved from its last outing, as the Tigers hit 60.4 percent (32-of-53) of their shots during Wednesday's 82-60 rout of Denison University.
Senior Najee Hardaway was a big reason why DePauw did not get many good looks down the stretch. Elijah Hales was Hardaway's primary defensive assignment, and the Tigers' top scorer could not shake him. Hales finished with 11 points - 7.9 below his season average - and he only scored once in the second half.
Offensively, senior forward Turner Kurt was doubled near the elbow with 3:55 remaining, and that opened up junior forward Elijah Meredith for a three-pointer. Meredith popped out from the wing on the next possession and was money again from range, as Wooster's lead climbed to 65-54 with 3:10 left on the clock. Two possessions later, Kurt did not roll to the basket after setting a screen for sophomore Jamir Billings on the perimeter, and the Scots' driving guard kicked the ball back to his screener for an open triple.
Kyle Lillwitz made DePauw's last field goal of the afternoon, and that tied the score at 47. Wooster junior Carter Warstler answered right back with a go-ahead corner triple, and that started the Scots' game-closing 21-7 run. Next, Warstler hustled down an offensive rebound on the following possession, and Hardaway eventually dished the ball to Kurt for a mid-range jumper. DePauw kept the game within two possessions until Kurt's free throws at the 5:11 mark.
Earlier, an exciting back-and-forth first half saw the teams combine for seven ties and three lead changes. The conference rivals were deadlocked at 34 at the break, thanks to Billings' game-tying bucket. The Scots' point guard was locked in early, hitting all three of his triples in the first half. His three-ball with 12:55 on the clock gave Wooster its largest first-half lead at 16-11.
Kurt's 17 points led all scorers, and he was a rebound shy of a double-double. Billings followed with 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Meredith's late three-balls brought his point haul to 13. Hardaway's all-around contributions included an afternoon-best 11 rebounds that were paired with a game-high six assists. Key hustle plays by junior Nick Everett, which included forcing a tie-up jump ball just before his second steal of the day, led up to the closing stretch.
Wooster shot 45.0 percent (27-of-60) from the floor and dominated the rebounding battle 45-23. The Scots nearly quadrupled the Tigers' offensive haul at 15-4.
Camden Brown, who hit three first-half three-pointers, led the Tigers with 15 points.
DePauw finished 7-of-19 (36.8 percent) on three-pointers after going 6-of-10 in the first half. The Tigers did make their free throws count, missing just one on 16 attempts.
Next, Wooster heads to Ohio Wesleyan University (3-2, 0-0 NCAC) for a 7 p.m. game on Wednesday, December 7.