The DePauw University Tigers men’s basketball ball team stole the show on Feb. 14 in Crawfordsville, edging out conference rival Wabash College with a final score of 62-61.
Revenge came at the expense of falling to the Little Giants earlier in the season. Both rivalry games have been decided by a mere three points combined.
Senior Jack VandeMerkt led the charge by recording a double-double, 15 points and 11 rebounds, while first-year guard Nick Felke added a career-high 14 points in the win. First-year Nolan Ginther posted 10 points off of the bench as well.
The two first-years, Felke and Ginther, combined for 20 points in the first half, giving the Tigers a four point lead heading into the halfway mark.
DePauw’s defense stepped up late in the contest, holding off the Little Giants’ final push. In the final nine minutes, the Tigers managed to only put four points on the board. However, key defensive stops and timely rebounding sealed the victory for DePauw.
The Tigers outscored the Little Giants 34-26 in the paint.
Wabash’s Jack Davidson led all scorers on the floor with 21 points.
The North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) victory for the Tigers improved their conference record to 7-10 on the year, and 11-13 overall. DePauw also advanced their overall record over the Little Giants, leading the series 123-89-1.
The Tigers close out their regular season schedule this Saturday in home game against Oberlin College. Tip-off is in the Neal Fieldhouse at 1 p.m.