Tampa, Fla.- DePauw shot 51.9 percent from the floor, cruising to their sixth-straight Tampa Bay Shootout championship, defeating Wisconsin-Eau Claire 66-48 Tuesday afternoon.

The Tigers improved to 7-3 on the year, while the Blugolds dropped to 4-8.

Both teams battled for the lead early in the first half, as the lead changed hands four times in the opening nine minutes. Adam Botts converted a four-point play with 11:38 left in the half, giving DePauw a two-point lead. From there, the score would be tied just once, but the Tigers would not trail for the remainder of the game.

Tommy Fernitz dominated down low, scoring 17 first-half points to lead DePauw. The Tigers went 5-of-11 from three, taking a 37-30 lead into the locker room.

In the second half, DePauw would lead by as much as 21 before sealing the 66-48 victory. A pesky Tigers' defense limited Wis.-Eau Claire to just 27.3 percent (6-22) shooting in the second half, including a 0-for-7 mark from three-point land.

DePauw continued to put up impressive shooting numbers, shooting 52.0 percent from the floor in the second stanza. Connor Rich and Bob Dillon each scored six points to lead the Tigers in the half.

Fernitz was named the Shootout MVP after scoring a game-high 21 points in the championship game. Dillon joined Fernitz on the all-tournament team, scoring 12 points.

George Diekelman led the Blugolds with 13 points, while Tyson Kalien was named to the all-tournament team for his performances.

The Tigers held a 31-26 advantage on the glass and outscored Wis.-Eau Claire 34-22 on points in the paint. DePauw assisted on 17 of their 27 baskets and forced 16 turnovers.

DePauw returns to Greencastle, Ind. when they host Allegheny on Saturday, January 3, at 4:00 p.m.

Hobart defeated Washington 69-52 in the third-place game. The Statesmen improved to 5-3, while the Shoremen dropped to 1-10.

After a slow start, Hobart took the lead with 8:17 left in the half and never trailed for the remainder of the game. The Statesmen held a 32-27 advantage at halftime, shooting 46.4 percent from the floor.

Hobart used a 12-0 run in the second half to pull away from the Shoremen. Trey Blanding had a game-high 18 points, while Andrew Hoy and Connor Rehbaum each added 10 points.

James Drury paced Washington with 11 points, while Dave Knox tallied 10 points in a losing effort.

All-Tournament Team:

Tommy Fernitz, DePauw (MVP)
Bob Dillon, DePauw
Dave Knox, Washington
Trey Blanding, Hobart
Tyson Kalien, Wisconsin-Eau Claire