Greencastle, Ind. - Visiting Wooster scored the game's final eight points and took a 78-69 North Coast Athletic Conference win over DePauw. The Tigers dropped to 5-9 overall and 2-6 in the NCAC, while the Fighting Scots improved to 12-4 overall and 8-1 in conference play.

Wooster gained a six-point lead early in the first half before DePauw came back for its first lead at 19-18 with 7:11 left following 3-pointers from Elijah Hales and James Havrilla. 

The Fighting Scots regained the lead and were up 30-27 following Brandon Styers' bucket with 3:29 remaining in the half. Grant Gohmann responded with a trey and, following a Tigers' defensive stop, Nolan Niego converted a 4-point play after nailing a 3-pointer and free throw. Nolan Niego turned a Wooster turnover into a bucket and Hales knocked in a three to cap 12-0 run that gave the Tigers a 39-30 lead with 1:06 left in the half. DePauw took a 41-33 advantage into the intermission.

DePauw's lead reached 10 after Nick Wissel buried a pair of free throws on DePauw's opening possession of the second half. Wooster cut it back to eight on a pair of Turner Kurt charity tosses before play was suspended after fire alarms sounded in the Neal Fieldhouse. When play resumed, Wooster continued to chip away at the DePauw lead, getting to within two at 49-47. 

Wooster regained the lead briefly at 53-51 with 8:57 remaining, but Grant Niego made a three and hit two free throws to give DePauw a 56-53 advantage. The Fighting Scots answered with an 11-2 run to grab a 64-58 lead with 4:13 left. 

DePauw closed the gap to one at 70-69 when Hales hit a three with 1:37 left, but Jamir Billings came right back with a triple. The Tigers were unable to convert on the offensive end and Najee Hardaway nailed a three with 32 seconds left to make it 76-69. DePauw was whistled for an offensive foul on its next possession and Wooster converted two more free throws for the win.

Hales paced DePauw with 22 points with Grant Niego adding 12. Grant Niego and Nolan Niego each had four rebounds and Ronald Johnson handed out four assists.

Styers paced Wooster with 26 points with Kurt following with 14, Hardaway with 11 and Billings with 10. Kurt grabbed 10 boards and Billings totaled eight assists.

Wooster shot 50.8 percent from the floor to DePauw's 40.7 percent. The Tigers connected on 12-of-30 3-pointers, but Wooster outrebounded DePauw, 44-22, for a 16-3 edge in second-chance points.

DePauw returns to action on Wednesday, January 26, when it travels to Denison for a 7 p.m. game.