Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 90, DePauw 86

Senior guard Curtis White (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) sank a pair of free throws for what proved to be the deciding points and junior wing Tony Carter (Cleveland/Parma Heights Holy Name) snared a crucial rebound as Ohio Wesleyan outlasted DePauw in a North Coast Athletic Conference matchup on Wednesday at Branch Rickey Arena.

The win kept Ohio Wesleyan in a tie for first place in the NCAC standings at the conclusion of the first round of conference play.

Senior wing Jack Clement (Bellefontaine) put the Bishops ahead to stay with a jumper on the opening possession of overtime, and Carter and sophomore guard Henry Hinkle (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) each sank a pair of free throws for an 83-77 Ohio Wesleyan lead.

Sam Jacobs and Camden Brown each sank a pair of free throws for DePauw to bring the visitors within 83-81, and it was still a 2-point game after White and Brown traded baskets, the latter making it 85-83 with :31 remaining.

DePauw's Grant Niego then stole the ball and took off for the basket with a chance to tie the game. Niego missed the lay-in but tied up senior post Grant Spicer (Cincinnati/Lakota East) on the rebound, with possession going to DePauw with :20 to go, but Elijah Hales was called for an offensive foul on the ensuing possession, giving the ball back to Ohio Wesleyan with :09 remaining.

Fouled right away, Hinkle sank the second of 2 free throws to make it a 3-point game, and the Bishops fouled Hales with :05 left rather than give the Tiger sharpshooter a look at the tying bucket.  Hales made both free throws to bring the visitors within 86-85, and the process repeated itself, with White sinking a pair of free throws for an 88-85 lead with :04 remaining and the Bishops fouling Hales with :02 to go.  This time, Hales made the first and deliberately missed the second free throw, but Carter corralled the rebound and hit a pair of free throws with :01 left for the 90-86 final.

It was a one-possession game for the first 10 minutes of play, with DePauw taking a 17-16 lead on a Kyle Lillwitz 3-pointer with 11:24 left before Ohio Wesleyan went on a 12-2 run that included a 3-point play and a 3-pointer by Hinkle.  Another 12-2 run later in the first half, with Clement scoring 6 points and Spicer and Carter each connecting from downtown, turned a 36-28 Bishop lead into a 48-30 margin in the final minute of the period.

DePauw's Nolan Niego hit a 3-pointer to cap a 9-2 run that brought the Tigers within 56-49 at the 14:04 mark of the second half.  The visitors still trailed, 77-71, after a Clement 3-pointer with just under a minute to play, but Hales connected on a pair of 3-pointers, evening the score at 77 with :26 to go in regulation time.  The Bishops had a look at the game-winner, but Clement's jumper with :04 left was off the mark, and Carter's follow shot in the final second missed as well.

Clement led the Bishops with 33 points.  Hinkle finished with 19 points and shared the team lead with 4 assists, Carter contributed 13 points and a game-high 8 boards, and Spicer shared the team lead with 4 assists.

Box Score