HIRAM, Ohio - February 13, 2022 – Though they hung with the 13th-ranked DePauw University Tigers for much of the first three quarters, Hiram women's basketball fell to the DePauw Tigers, 71-41, in their final home game of the 2021-22 season on Sunday inside Price Gymnasium.
 
Hiram got off to a hot start against DePauw, opening the scoring with Cici Bright's bucket with 9:41 left in the first quarter, and quickly adding to their tally after a turnover and steal by Bright.
 
Haley Thompson's jumper made it a four-point game off an assist from Madison Branch, giving the Terriers' a 4-0 lead before the Tigers got on the scoreboard on Campbell Montgomery's layup a minute and a half into the period.
 
The Tigers though, quickly tied things up on two made free throws by Grace Kinsey, and after a three-minute scoreless stretch, took the lead on Montgomery's layup with 4:55 to play in the first.
 
Hiram answered with a three by Iyana Smith, but Kinsey matched her triple on the other hand to retake the lead for the Tigers. And from there, DePauw held the Terriers scoreless the rest of the period, taking a 14-7 lead after one.
 
DePauw then kept things rolling into the second quarter, using a 14-0 run to take a 28-7 lead on Montgomery's layup midway through the second period.
 
Branch slowed DePauw's run with a jumper, cutting the Tigers' lead to 19, and three-pointers by Branch and Valaitis later made it a 15-point lead with 2:35 left in the first half.
 
Isabella Ogliore responded with a layup on the other end, but an and-one by Thompson cut DePauw's lead down to 14 with under a minute to play, and Hiram held DePauw without a point the rest of the way, heading into halftime down 32-18.
 
Hiram continued to keep things close throughout the third, keeping the Tigers from extending their lead past 20 for much of the period.
 
The Tigers thrice pulled ahead by 20, but each time Hiram answered, all three times with points from Thompson, cutting DePauw's lead back down to 18, 50-32, headed to the fourth.
 
However, DePauw quickly extended their lead out to 22 to start the fourth, and with a 6-0 run up 54-34, pulled ahead 60-34 on a made free throw by Maeve Summerville with 6:09 remaining.
 
A pair of made free throws by Maddie Rakestraw made it a 24-point game, but the Tigers used another run to take their largest lead of the game, 69-36, with 3:15 to play on Ava Hassel's jumper.
 
The Tigers led by 33 down the final stretch, before Ella Dukarm's and one with 16 seconds left cut DePauw's lead back down to 30 before the final buzzer sounded.
 
With the loss, Hiram falls to 7-16 (3-12 NCAC) on the year, while the 13th-ranked Tigers remain undefeated in conference play at 20-2 (13-0 NCAC).
 
Thompson led the Terriers with 17 points, adding four rebounds and three steals. Selena Vargas led Hiram on the glass with seven rebounds, while Branch and Rakestraw each tallied two assists.
 
The Terriers will next wrap up the 2021-22 regular season on the road in Gambier, Ohio against the Kenyon College Ladies on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 1 p.m.