HIRAM, Ohio – January 4, 2025 – A second-half surge almost gave Hiram its first conference win of the season, but the DePauw Tigers held on in a 73-64 loss on Saturday afternoon at Price Gymnasium.

The Terriers trailed by as many as 18 points in the second half before roaring back and cutting it to a 5-point margin with 13:03 remaining in regulation. The Tigers found their way into the double bonus and held just enough of a lead to pull out the victory; DePauw went 20-24 from the free-throw line and got a game-high 15 points from Sam Jacobs. Reph Stevenson was also a major force for the opposition, tallying 14 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and three steals.

Hiram put the depth of its roster to the test, with 11 student-athletes making at least one field goal in the game. Trent Jakacki had 9 points in the starting backcourt, while DJ Niles and Dillon McLennan each had a career-high 9 points off the bench.

Hiram came out with an impressive defensive intensity, as it latched onto a 13-2 lead over the first 5:02 of game action. The defense forced the Tigers into five turnovers during that span.

DePauw woke up immediately after that opening charge, going on an 11-2 run of its own to make it just a one-possession lead. Hiram eventually faced its first deficit of the game with 5:30 left in the opening half; DePauw took a 23-22 lead and then finished the period on a 20-4 run.

Hiram fought back thanks to its balanced offense, with each of its first five field goals in the half coming from a different player. McLennan also found his shooting touch, making three 3-pointers to bring his team closer and ignite the home crowd.

Galdan Batzorig made it a 4-point deficit on a layup with 7:41 to play, but DePauw answered with a 6-0 run and made its free throws down the closing stretch to pick up the win.

The Terriers will have a chance to bounce back on Wednesday, when they travel to Delaware, Ohio for an NCAC clash with Ohio Wesleyan at 7 p.m. inside Branch Rickey Arena.