Players and coaches yell from the sideline in DePauw's game
against Ohio Wesleyan Friday night. The Tigers lost
72-65, a score that snapped their 67-home-game winning streak.
MICHAEL JENNINGS / THE DEPAUW
After 67 regular season home game victories, the DePauw University women's basketball team's impressive winning streak snapped in a surprising loss to Ohio Wesleyan University in the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament semi-finals on Friday night.
The Tigers, who were at the time ranked at number seven in the country, will go into the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament after their first loss at Neal Fieldhouse in almost three seasons.
“This weekend was extremely disappointing given the fact that one of our goals every year is to win the conference championship,” senior Lauren Abendroth said.
Ohio Wesleyan was the fifth seed in the tournament, and went on to lose to Wittenberg University in the conference’s title game.
Recent history was on DePauw’s side going into Friday night. The Tigers had a competitive game with the Battling Bishops last week on senior night that ended with a victory for DePauw, but they couldn’t get it done for a third time this season on Friday.
“I think OWU matches up really well against us,” senior Emma Ondik said. “Some of their strengths are our weaknesses and they took advantage of that.”
After holding the lead the entire first half, DePauw’s 3-point slump (0 for 6) allowed the Bishops to catch up. OWU’s sharp shooting didn’t help the Tigers either, shooting 60 percent in the second half and draining seven threes to put the final nail in the coffin for DePauw with a final score at 72-65.
“OWU is a strong offensive team and has a deep bench,” Abendroth said. “We knew going in that it was going to be a tough game. Fortunately, we learned a lot from the game. Our team is more focused than ever and we are ready to do damage in March.”
The bracket for the upcoming NCAA tournament was released on Monday afternoon, and has DePauw hosting Hanover College on Friday, a team they haven’t seen this season.
“We need to come ready to play knowing that the other teams will be ready,” first-year Jessica Arington said. “We know every team wants to beat us.”
The Panthers will enter Neal Fieldhouse on Friday with a 19-8 overall record and are the champions of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Now the seniors, along with the rest of the team, are gearing up for another NCAA run—hopefully deep into the tournament.
“We have no expectations simply because anything can happen,” Abendroth said. “We just want to make a deep run in the tournament and meet our goal of heading back to the final four.”
Ondik just expects her team to work, just as they have been all season.
“We’re going to go out there and play as hard as we can,” Ondik said. “If we play the way that I know we are capable of playing, I think we can make a nice run in the tournament.”
Abendroth isn’t worried about who the Tigers play first, second or last.
“They can send us anymore against anyone because in order to be the best you have to beat the best,” Abendroth said.
No time has been set for tipoff between the Tigers and Panthers. A schedule will be released on Tuesday that includes times for DePauw’s game, as well as the other first round game being held at Neal Fieldhouse between John Carroll University and Maryville College.