The Tigers improved to 15-12 with their fifth straight win. Centre dropped to 19-8. NCAA Tournament information will be posted on Monday morning.
Centre's Coy Zerhusen hit two free throws with 21 seconds remaining to give the Colonels a 61-59 lead. Stephen Schott rebounded a missed shot and was fouled with 3.6 seconds remaining. He hit both shots to tie the game. The Tigers knocked the inbounds pass out near midcourt with two seconds left. DePauw then batted the ensuing inbounds pass away and Brown recovered before launching the game winner.
The contest was tight throughout with 13 ties and 12 lead changes. DePauw led by as many as six in the first half at 17-11 before the Colonels rallied to take a 29-24 advantage late in the half. DePauw led at the break, 34-33.
The Tigers extended the margin to as many as four at 41-37 before the Colonels scored nine straight to take a 46-41 advantage. Brown nailed a three-pointer and Matt McDonald scored a layup to tie the contest at 46-46 with 13:28 remaining. Neither team would gain more than a four-point lead the remainder of the game.
Schott hit a layup off of his own miss to give the Tigers a 59-57 edge with 1:40 left. Reggie Magnusson then tied the game with two free throws at the 1:24 mark before Zerhusen's layup.
Brown led the Tigers with 17 points and was named the tournament MVP, while Schott posted a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds and joined him on the all-tournament team. Magnusson paced Centre with 21 points and Jacobson added 18.
Alex Stewart (pictured) hit three three-pointers in the game and his first broke the DePauw career record of 232 held by Troy Greenlee (1987-91).
DePauw University vs Centre College 02/26/06 Noon at Memphis, Tenn. - Mallory-Hyde Gymnasium At Memphis, Tenn. - Mallory-Hyde Gymnasium DEPAUW UNIVERSITY 64, CENTRE COLLEGE 61 DEPAUW UNIVERSITY (15-12) Austin Brown 7-11 1-2 17; Stephen Schott 7-11 2-2 16; Alex Stewart 3-7 0-0 9; Matt McDonald 4-4 0-0 8; Brian Oilar 2-4 0-0 6; Ryan Werntz 1-6 0-0 3; Reid Sakel 1-5 0-0 3; Mike Moore 0-4 2-2 2; Dan Gifford 0-0 0-0 0; Todd Capes 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-53 5-6 64. CENTRE COLLEGE (19-8) Reggie Magnusson 8-16 5-7 21; Matt Jacobson 7-10 1-1 18; Thomas Britt 3-5 0-0 8; Coy Zerhusen 3-6 1-3 7; Matt Nestheide 3-12 0-0 7; T.C. Thomason 0-0 0-0 0; Adam Patterson 0-1 0-0 0; John Patterson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-51 7-11 61. DePauw University............. 34 30 - 64 Centre College................ 33 28 - 61 3-point goals-DePauw University 9-21 (Alex Stewart 3-5; Brian Oilar 2-4; Austin Brown 2-2; Ryan Werntz 1-4; Reid Sakel 1-3; Mike Moore 0-2; Stephen Schott 0-1), Centre College 6-16 (Matt Jacobson 3-5; Thomas Britt 2-3; Matt Nestheide 1-7; Coy Zerhusen 0-1). Fouled out--DePauw University-None, Centre College-Reggie Magnusson. Rebounds-DePauw University 32 (Stephen Schott 14), Centre College 27 (Coy Zerhusen 7). Assists-DePauw University 15 (Alex Stewart 4; Mike Moore 4), Centre College 12 (Thomas Britt 4). Total fouls-DePauw University 10, Centre College 9. A-300 2006 SCAC Men's Basketball Tournament - Championship Game DePauw advances to NCAA Division III Tournament All-tournament team: Austin Brown, DU - MVP - halfcourt shot at buzzer; Steve Schott, DU; Matt Jacobson, CC; Matt Nestheide, CC; Jamonn Little, SU