Late surge sends top-ranked Tigers to NCAC win at Hiram

DePauw junior Lauren Abendroth attempts a 3-point shot during a game earlier this season. Abendroth led the Tigers to the win on Saturday with a career-best 18 points. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

HIRAM, Ohio -- For the opening 20 minutes, top-ranked DePauw women's basketball team and Hiram battled through a close first half, but the second half belonged to the Tigers as the guests rolled to an 87-52 North Coast Athletic Conference victory over the Terriers.

The Tigers improved to 12-0 overall and 3-0 in the NCAC with their 46th straight win, while the Terriers dropped to 4-9 overall and 0-4 in conference play.

DePauw never trailed on the way to its 65th straight regular season victory, but the margin was just 10 at 37-27 at the intermission.

In the opening two minutes of the second half, Hiram trimmed the lead to 41-33, but DePauw took over by scoring the next 24 points over an eight-minute stretch. During the run, Savannah Trees scored nine and Alex Gasaway six as the Tigers hit 10 of 13 from the floor.

Lauren Abendroth led the Tigers with a career-high 18 points as she knocked in four-of-five three-pointers. Trees followed with 17 with Gasaway and Alison Stephens each chipping in 13. Stephens paced DePauw with seven rebounds as the Tigers held a 41-23 edge on the boards. Ali Ross handed out a career-best seven assists.

Kelsey Koskinen was Hiram's lone double-figure scorer with 22, while Danielle Day added eight rebounds.

DePauw shot 52.1 percent for the game for its fifth game above the 50 percent plateau and connected on 56.8 percent in the second half. The Tigers also hit 10-of-19 three-pointers and committed just seven turnovers. DePauw also converted 21 offensive rebounds into a 29-7 advantage in second-chance points.

Hiram shot 36.2 percent from the floor and outscored the Tigers 10-3 from the free throw line.

DePauw returns home on Wednesday, January 8, when it hosts Denison at 7 p.m.