GAMBIER, Ohio – DePauw University (16-7, 9-7 NCAC) edged Kenyon College (7-16, 5-11 NCAC) 66-61 Saturday afternoon in a North Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball game at Tomsich Arena.
 
Prior to the game, the careers of Jonathan Amador, John Bray, Connor Garrity, and Cooper Handelsman were honored.
 
The Tigers' use of the paint in the second half, where they outscored the Lords 18-8, was the biggest factor in their victory.
 
Center Tommy Fernitz led DePauw with a game high 25 points hitting 9-of-12 shots and 7-of-10 from the free throw line. Bob Dillon added 12 points, five rebounds, and two steals while Adam Botts and Bradley Fey each contributed 10.
 
Kenyon was led by Tim Connolly who tallied 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Amador added 13 points and Bray rounded out Kenyon's double-figure scoring efforts chipping in with 10 points and grabbing a game-high seven rebounds.
 
In the first half, the Lords jumped out to an 8-0 lead about six minutes into the game following a three-pointer from Amador. A little later, Connolly hit a three-ball with 9:09 left and gave Kenyon its biggest lead (16-7). The Tigers found their groove after that, however, and responded with a 16-7 run and tied the game at 23 after a Fernitz layup.
 
After Fernitz's layup, Kenyon's ensuing possession saw a blocked shot, and that was followed by Clint Cunningham's fast-break layup that gave DePauw its first lead of the game, 25-23.
 
The Lords ended the half though with a Phillip Crampton layup with one second left to give the home team a 29-28 halftime lead.
 
Second-half action saw both teams fighting back and forth. There were four ties and seven lead changes.
 
DePauw gained its biggest lead of the game with 10:08 left after a Cunningham layup brought the score to 49-43. Kenyon responded to tie the game at 51 after a Bray jumper and tied the game again at 58 following an Alexander Powell three-pointer.
 
But with 2:40 left, Fernitz sunk two free throws to give the Tigers a lead it never relinquished. 
 
Down 64-61, Kenyon tried to tie the game with 17 seconds left, but Amador's three-pointer missed and Fey converted two free throws following a Lords foul to provide the final margin.
 
DePauw outscored Kenyon 32-18 in the paint and held a 49-25 bench points advantage.
 
Kenyon will try and bounce back in the win column February 18 when they host Wittenberg University for a 7:30 p.m. contest.