Tigers split games with Wittenberg

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — DePauw University, ranked 13th in women’s Division III, jumped out to a 21-4 lead after the first quarter and came away with a 51-38 North Coast Athletic Conference win at Wittenberg.

The visiting Tigers improved to 18-1 overall and 10-0 in the conference with its 15th straight win, while the hosts dropped to 8-11 overall and 4-6 in the NCAC.

Wittenberg scored the game’s first points, but DePauw scored the next seven and never trailed again. The Tigers closed the quarter with 14 straight to head to the second with a 21-4 lead.

Consecutive 3-pointers by Emily Budde and Blair Carlin gave DePauw its largest lead of the game at 29-8 with 4:52 left in the half. Wittenberg closed the half with a 9-1 run to trim the halftime deficit to 30-17. The teams played even in both the third and fourth quarters

Maya Howard led DePauw with 11 points, while Budde added 10. Taylor Howard’s eight rebounds held DePauw to a 36-31 edge on the boards.

Claire Ryan led the way with six assists and three steals with

Alex Kiess led Wittenberg with 14 points, while Michelle Brunswick grabbed seven rebounds.

DePauw shot 34.5 percent from the field and hit 6-of-19 three-pointers, while Wittenberg connected on 29.2 percent from the floor and just 3-of-20 from beyond the arc.

DePauw hosts Wooster on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Men

• Wittenberg 59, DePauw 48 — Visiting Wittenberg scored the opening 14 points and never trailed in a 59-48 North Coast Athletic Conference win over DePauw on Wednesday.

DePauw missed its first 10 shots and went scoreless until the 13:04 mark when Ethan Jarrett connected on a layup and a free throw. However, after Riley Doody scored the last four points of the half DePauw only trailed by single digits at 30-22.

Unfortunately, Wittenberg grew its lead in the second half, leading by as much as 18 midway, and holding a double-digit lead for the final 12:34.

David Vogel led DePauw from off the bench with a game-high 14 points. He was the only one to score in double figures. Jack VandeMerkt finished with nine points and seven rebounds.

Jarrett finished with seven points and Doody with six.

Jaelin Williams led Wittenberg with 12 points. Cody Phillippi and Landon Hormann each scored 11.

DePauw was outrebounded 41-30, and Wittenberg held the advantage in points in the paint 32-22, points off turnovers 19-7 and second-chance points 12-6. DePauw’s bench outscored Wittenberg’s 34-12. DePauw’s starters combined for just 14 points.

DePauw shot 31 percent (17-of-55) from the floor and just 17 percent from 3-point range (2-of-12).

Wittenberg shot 40 percent (20-of-50) from the floor and 22 percent from downtown (2-of-9).

Wittenberg (12-6) moves up in the NCAC with a 6-5 record, while DePauw (9-9) drops at 5-6.

The Tigers return to action at 3 p.m. Saturday when they host Wooster in the back end of a women/men doubleheader.