GREENCASTLE, Ind. – Junior Mike Moore netted a game-high 24 points and freshman Steve Lemasters added 16 points off the bench as the host DePauw Tigers shot 50.8 percent from the floor to knock off 18th-ranked Millsaps at Neal Fieldhouse 90-83.
Winners of four-straight, DePauw improved to 14-4 overall and 6-2 in the SCAC East, while the Majors dropped their second-straight to fall to 15-3 overall and 7-2 in the SCAC West.
For the second-straight game, a career-night from a Major was overshadowed in a loss, with senior guard Lorenzo Bailey completing a four-point play in the waning seconds for his 25th point of the night to set a new career-high (previous high was 23).
Millsaps connected on its first four jumpers to open the game on an 8-2 run, clearly fired up from a Friday night loss at No. 14 Centre College. The Majors built their lead to as many as nine midway through the half at 20-11 before the Tigers closed the half on a 22-12 spurt that gave them a 1-point halftime lead at 33-32.
It marked the first time in 11 games that the Majors had trailed at the half (1-2), leading the previous 10 games at the break (10-0) before coming away with the win.
DePauw came out of the lockerroom on fire, opening up a 12-point lead, 48-36, with 16:11 remaining in the game, en route to 56.7 percent shooting in the frame. The Majors closed the gap back to 58-50, but a pair of 3s from Lemasters and Moore sandwiched a David Gray tip-in and gave DePauw its largest lead of the game at 66-50 with 9:08 remaining.
Millsaps cut the lead within single digits on numerous occasions but couldn't gain the upper hand on the scoreboard, surrendering 12-of-15 free throws over the final three minutes to secure a 90-83 SCAC win for the Tigers.
For DePauw, Moore proved why he's the reigning SCAC Player of the Week, scoring his third-straight 20+ point game after pouring in 32 at Austin College and 28 versus Hendrix – both wins. The junior netted 15 in the second half alone on 4-of-6 aim.
Behind Bailey's game/career-high 25, Edrick Montgomery added 22 points, nine rebounds and four blocks and Rodney Rogan added 16 points, seven boards and four assists for visiting Millsaps.
Millsaps will try and regroup against Rhodes College on Friday, Feb. 1, opening a four-game homestand at the Hangar Dome. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.
Game Notes:
DePauw outscored the Majors' bench 34-8... the teams were deadlocked on the boards at 35 rebounds apiece... Montgomery's four blocks moved him into second in the league... Millsaps extended its streak of consecutive games with a 3-point basket to 418, the third-longest active streak in Division III... Millsaps surrendered 90 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 2000-01 (L, 102-114 OT / W, 107-103 OT).
