Greencastle, Ind. - DePauw used a late 7-0 run to pull away from visiting Denison and gain a 58-50 North Coast Athletic Conference win over the Big Red. The 19th-ranked Tigers improved to 20-4 overall for their 18th straight season of at least 20 wins and clinched their seventh NCAC title in eight years at 14-1. Denison dropped to 15-8 overall and 11-4 in conference play.
Denison got out to an early 12-4 lead, but DePauw battled back to within 12-11 at the quarter break. The Big Red still held a 25-24 advantage after Lily Morris knocked in a 3-pointer with 2:19 left in the half, but Sydney Kopp hit two free throws and a layup before Claire Keefe hit a jumper in the paint to send the hosts to a 29-25 halftime lead.
The Tigers led the entire third period and took a 42-37 lead into the final stanza. Maya Howard nailed a 3-point to make it 45-37 before the Big Red eventually trimmed it to three at 47-44 with just over four minutes left. Howard hit a jumper before Campbell Montgomery scored layups on back-to-back possessions. Howard wrapped up the 7-0 run with a free throw with 1:13 left to make it 54-44. Howard then hit four free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
Howard led all scorers with 21 points, while Kopp posted a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds as well as a game-high four assists.
Morris paced Denison with nine points and Lauren Longbrake grabbed seven rebounds.
DePauw shot 37.0 percent for the game to Denison's 35.0 percent, but the Tigers outscored the Big Red at the line 17-2 and held a 43-31 rebounding edge.
The Tigers host Wooster on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the NCAC finale.