The men’s basketball team suffered another tough loss Wednesday night after Wittenberg defeated them 85-53.
DePauw came out with a promising start following tipoff. Sophomore forward Cris Burrough scored the first basket of the game with a deep three-pointer. Their lead, however, was short-lived.
Wittenberg was quick to react, immediately seizing the game with a 15-0 run. Following Burrough’s three-pointer, DePauw entered a scoring drought that would last the next five minutes of play.
“We didn’t come ready to play and they handed it to us,” said sophomore guard David Vogel.
The discouraged men walked into the locker room at the half losing 41-20. When play resumed in the second half, the Wittenberg Tigers' lead only got larger.
With about eight minutes remaining in the game, Wittenberg was leading by as many as 40 points. However, DePauw was able to pull it together and finish the half better than it started. Seniors Bradley Fey and Adam Botts each put up some nice three-pointers that were able to boost the team’s morale.
It wasn't enough, though, and the DePauw Tigers suffered a 53-85 defeat by the end.
“It’s a tough loss,” said first-year forward John Starkey. “It’s disappointing to be defeated like that this late in the season. We know we are better than we played and just have to prove it.”
Vogel was able to come off the bench and lead the Tigers with 11 points, 75 percent fof which were shot from the floor. Burrough contributed eight points, while Fey and junior Nate Jahn added an additional seven points each. This game marks the first time this season that an opponent was able to hold DePauw’s season leading scorer, junior Luke Lattner, scoreless.
With this conference loss, DePauw now drops to 7-15 in the NCAA and 3-12 in the North Coast Atlantic Conference. The accumulation of losses late in the season has kept the DePauw Tigers from having any chance at a post-season run.
“It’s been tough. We are a very close group and everyone would love for us to be doing better,” said sophomore forward Forrest Nettles.
Starkey echoed similar sentiments, adding that the players' love for the game has been driving the team as the season comes to a close.
The Tigers will host Keyon on Saturday at Neal Fieldhouse. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. This game will also serve as the Tigers’ Senior Day. After a close loss to the Lords earlier in the season, DePauw hopes to redeem itself with a win at home.
“We just have to stick together and work hard," Vogel said. That’s all we can do."