Greencastle, Ind. - DePauw shot 54 percent from the floor including 63 percent in the first half and opened North Coast Athletic Conference play with an 81-64 win over visiting Kenyon. The Tigers moved to 2-2 overall, while the Lords dropped to 0-5.

Kenyon scored the game's first points. but the Tigers scored the next seven and never trailed again. The Tigers scored six straight late in the half to push the lead to double digits on the way to a 44-31 halftime advantage.

The Lords were within 10 in the first three minutes of the second half before DePauw scored the next six to expand the margin to 16. Kenyon was within 12 with less than seven minute remaining, but DePauw put together a 10-2 run to push the lead to 75-55 with 4:44 left.

Grant Niego netted a career-high 26 points, hit 10 of 12 from the field and added a game-high four assists, while Elijah Hales scored 24 and Nolan Niego 14. Miles Versa paced Kenyon with 13 and Dylan Fuerst added 19. 

The Tigers held a 30-24 rebounding lead with four DePauw players grabbing five each. Nick Lewis had six boards for the Lords. The Tigers committed just 10 turnovers to Kenyon's 14 and had a 22-16 edge on scoring off those turnovers.

DePauw travels to Rose-Hulman on Sunda, November 28, for a 3 p.m. contest.