Tigers gear up for SCAC games

With only seven regular season games remaining, the DePauw University men's basketball team is riding a six-game winning streak heading into weekend road games against Rhodes and Millsaps.

The Tigers are 15-3 overall and 6-1 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. They will face Rhodes on Friday at 9 p.m. and Millsaps on Sunday at 2 p.m.

DePauw is tied with Centre and Millsaps for the SCAC lead and the Tigers will head into Friday's game against Rhodes winning five games in eight days.

Rhodes is 2-5 in conference play this season and 7-9 overall. Rhodes has won just two of its last six games.

The squad is paced on offense by Cory Smith, who is averaging 17.4 points per game. In addition, Joe Thompson tallies 11.5 points per game while Jared Hoskins averages 9.9 points.

In 16 games this season, Smith has shot 45 percent from the field and 28 percent from three-point range. He is averaging 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 steals.

Rhodes averages 31.9 rebounds per game but is allowing opponents an average of 33.2. In addition, Rhodes is being outscored this season, 68-65.4.

Millsaps will prove to be quite a challenge for the Tigers this weekend, having won four of its last five games.

Offensively, Millsaps is averaging 72.2 points while allowing opponents 70.1. Edrick Montgomery is the team leader in offense at 17.5 points. He also leads the squad in rebounds at 8.9 per game. However, Millsaps is being outrebounded this year, 32.8-31.4.

Millsaps also gets offense from Rodney Rogan (13.1), Lorenzo Bailey (11.1) and Allen Odum (10.3).

DePauw's balanced offensive attack is led by Austin Brown at 14.6 points per game. In addition, Stephen Schott averages 13.2 points while Mike Moore contributes 10.8 and Reid Sakel tallies 10.3.

Offensively, the Tigers are outscoring opponents, 75.2-66.9. DPU also has an edge on the glass against its opponents this season, averaging 34.7 rebounds while giving up only 30.4.

The Tigers are just 1-1 in conference road games this season, having defeated Oglethorpe, 76-70, on Jan. 7, but losing to Sewanee on Jan. 5, 77-70.