Greencastle, Ind. - DePauw overcame a nine-point first-half deficit and stayed undefeated in North Coast Athletic Conference play with a 74-67 victory over Ohio Wesleyan. The Tigers improved to 9-4 overall and 2-0 in the NCAC, while the Battling Bishops dropped to 9-3 overall and 0-1 in conference play. The win was DePauw's 54th consecutive NCAC regular season home victory.

The Tigers got out to an early 9-5 lead, but the Battling Bishops went on a 10-2 run to take a four-point lead. After the Tigers came back to even the score at 15-15, Ohio Wesleyan closed the period with a 6-1 stretch to take a 21-16 advantage.

The teams were scoreless over the opening two minutes of the second period before DePauw struck first to trim the margin to three. The guests scored the next six to take their largest lead of the game at 27-18. Ava Hassel countered with a three before Tori Allen converted a four-point play after nailing a trey. Riley Mont ended the run with a basket with 3:26 left to even the score at 27-27. Ohio Wesleyan scored the next four, but DePauw closed the half with 7-of-8 shooting at the free throw line to grab a 34-31 lead at the intermission.

DePauw maintained the lead throughout the third and closed the period with a 6-2 run over the final 1:21. Olivia Hart's layup was followed by Alina Prusko's 3-pointer with 44 seconds left. The Battling Bishops knocked in a pair of free throws with 21 seconds remaining before Mont buried a three to end the period and give the Tigers a 58-49 lead.

Ohio Wesleyan chipped away at DePauw's lead in the fourth and closed the gap to 64-63 on Macy Miller's bucket with 3:54 left in the game. The Tigers stopped the Battling Bishops on seven straight possessions while the offense converted 8-of-11 free throws to make it 72-63. Elizabeth Homan's basket with 17 seconds left stopped the DePauw run, but were also the final points Ohio Wesleyan scored.

Mont led DePauw with 19 points, while Hassel added 15 along with a career-high eight assists. Ainsley Boras snagged a team-high eight rebounds in the win.

Kasey Schipfer led Ohio Wesleyan with 24 points followed by Miller with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds and Karlee Ross with 10 points. Elizabeth Homan handed out six assists.

The Tigers shot 45.8 percent from the floor and hit 7-of-18 3-pointers, while the Battling Bishops connected on 36.1 percent from the field and just 1-of-11 from beyond the arc.Ohio Wesleyan held a 40-37 rebounding edge and grabbed 18 on the offensive glass. DePauw totaled 17 turnovers to Ohio Wesleyan's eight, but the Tigers outscored the Battling Bishops from the line, 23-14.

DePauw returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 6, with a 2 p.m. game at Hiram.