GREENCASTLE, Ind. – Ugnius Zilinskas scored a career-high 34 points as the Kenyon Lords basketball team rallied from a 20-point halftime deficit to defeat DePauw University 69-65 on Sunday in North Coast Athletic Conference play.
 
Kenyon improved its record to 3-2 while the hosts fell to 2-2.
 
It was a tale of two halves on Sunday, with the Tigers possessing the upper hand in the first 20 minutes.
 
DePauw's low-post presence was key in the first as it tallied 20 points in the paint.  The Tigers hit 12 of 18 two-point attempts while shooting 62.5 percent from the field overall.  They also got a boost from the free throw line by going 12-for-12.
 
Competition was close early as Zilinskas's jumper in the paint gave the Lords a 9-8 lead a little over four minutes in. DePauw responded by scoring on seven of its next eight possessions, capping a 12-2 run with a Caymn Lutz jumper at 11:06.  A few moments later, Kenyon's Nick Lewis hit a left-corner three-ball; however, the Lords did not get closer the rest of the half.
 
In fact, the Tigers outscored the Lords 25-11 over the final 9:43. Following two free throws from Luke Steinhart, DePauw led 45-25 at the break.
 
After halftime, Kenyon quickly cut into the 20-point deficit. By the 16:54 mark, the Lords had shrunk DePauw's advantage in half, 47-37, following a Zilinskas fast-break layup. Four minutes later, Zilinskas scored again on an and-one to bring the tally to 51-47.
 
DePauw found its offense a bit after that, pushing its lead back to seven points on four occasions. Its last came at 6:34 when Josh Hall tallied a layup. At that point, the Tigers led 63-56.
 
Over the remainder of the game, DePauw missed all six of its field goal attempts while Kenyon rallied to victory. Elijah Davis scored a tough, left-handed layup at 2:29 to tie the game at 63. After two DePauw free throws, the Lords trailed by two, 65-63, before a Zilinskas jumper knotted things up again. Then, after getting a stop on DePauw's ensuing possession, Zilinskas finished off a Ryan O'Neil pass from the right wing with one second on the shot clock, and pushed the Lords ahead 68-65.
 
The Tigers last chance at tying the game came up short as Elijah Hales missed from the corner with six seconds left.
 
In the second half, Kenyon shot a sizzling 66.7 percent while DePauw went 5-of-22 (22.7%).
 
Next on the schedule for the Lords is an NCAC home game against Oberlin College on December 4 at 8 p.m.