Greencastle, Ind.- After consecutive losses last week the DePauw men's basketball team rebounded with a 69-49 victory over Earlham College Wednesday night.

With the win, the Tigers improved to 5-2 on the year, while the Quakers dropped to 0-7.

In the first half, DePauw dominated inside, outscoring Earlham 16-4 on points in the paint. Tommy Fernitz led all scorers with 11 first-half points. Fernitz's block with 16:01 left in the half broke the Tigers' career block record (111); he would finish with five blocks in the game.

A 10-2 run to open the game helped DePauw set the tone early. Bob Dillon and Connor Rich hit back-to-back threes to spark the run. Jack VandeMerkt's three at the buzzer sent the Tigers into the locker room with a 34-24 lead.

DePauw had a much improved shooting half, going 13-of-22 (59.1%) in the first half with a 4-of-9 (44.4%) mark from three. The Tigers assisted on eight of their 13 field goals and held Earlham to just 30.8 percent shooting.

Starting the second half, DePauw used an 11-3 run to stretch their lead to 45-28 at the 13:31 mark. Buckets by Rich, Fernitz, Dillon and Nate Jahn highlighted the run. The Tigers would lead by as much as 24 before sealing the 69-49 victory.

Second-half numbers continued to be impressive for DePauw as they shot 57.1 percent (12-21) from the floor, while holding the Quakers to just 33.3 percent (9-27).

Fernitz put up impressive numbers with a game-high 18 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots. Rich added 14 points and three steals, while Dillon totaled 11 points and three assists. The Tigers outrebounded Earlham 31-27.

DePauw held a slight edge in the turnover battle forcing 12, but committing 11. The charity stripe proved to be a test for the Tigers as they went just 13-for-21 (61.9%). However, the interior presence of DePauw dominated the Quakers, outscoring Earlham 36-14.

The Tigers return to North Coast Athletic Conference action Saturday, December 13, when they travel to Oberlin for a 1 p.m. contest.