DePauw’s up-tempo attack kept the Wabash basketball team’s defense at bay Tuesday night, leading the Tigers to a 92-82 victory in Greencastle.
The Tigers shot 54 percent from the field, including 41 percent from behind the three-point arc. DePauw connected on 7-of-17 three-point shots and fired home 33 of its 61 shot attempts. Wabash had a good shooting night, as well. The Little Giants were 30-of-60 from the field for 46 percent.
Wabash (1-3) pounded the basketball inside repeatedly in the early going, only to see the Tigers respond to every made basket by the Little Giants. Wabash took a one-point lead twice in the opening period before a layup by Austin Brown put the Tigers ahead with 12:19 remaining in the half.
DePauw (4-1) pushed its advantage up to six points before two free throws and a three-pointer by Wabash freshman Chase Haltom, playing just a few miles away from his home in Quincy, trimmed the lead to one. A Tiger free throw made it a two-point contest before Gary Simkus got free inside for layup, tying the game at 32-32 with 5:27 left in the first half.
The Tigers would respond with a 15-6 run to end the period, taking a 47-38 lead into the locker room. DePauw would push its advantage to as many as 16 points in the final six minutes of the second half after holding a double-figure lead throughout the period.
Wabash began trimming the lead to single digits. A Simkus free throw and back-to-back layups by Andrew Zimmer made it an eight-point game with 1:39 left. The Tigers posted two free throws before the Little Giants cut the lead to seven points in the final minute on a trey by Haltom, but would get no closer. The Tigers connected on their final six free throws down the stretch for the victory.
Zimmer paced the Wabash effort with a career-best 22 points. The junior forward also grabbed a team-best seven rebounds. Simkus added 15 points, while freshmen Haltom and Aaron Brock each scored in double figures. Haltom finished with 13 points, while Brock tallied 12 points.
Wabash begins the North Coast Athletic Conference portion of its 2006-07 season Saturday afternoon. The Little Giants travel to Oberlin College for a 1 p.m. contest against the Yeomen.
Photos - (top left) Freshman Chase Haltom drills this three-point attempt to cut the DePauw lead to seven points in the final minute.
(bottom right) Aaron Brock scored 12 points — his third straight game scoring in double figures as a freshman coming off the bench — in the Little Giants' loss to DePauw.