Fernandez scores 18 as DePauw downs Rhodes, 78-50 at home

Saturday, February 9, 2008

The DePauw Tigers have three players carrying double-figure scoring averages so far this season -- Jenna Fernandez 14.4, Cassie Pruzin 13.6 and Gretchen Haehl 10.4. But that doesn't mean the Tigers are a three-player team.

DePauw's Tigers passed out 19 assists while netting 30 field goals Friday night in a 78-50 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference victory over the visiting Rhodes College Lynx at Neal Fieldhouse. The win improved DePauw to 18-3 overall and 11-0 in conference play going into Sunday's 1 p.m. game with Birmingham-Southern.

The Tigers got the ball inside to the 5-11 Fernandez for 18 points and found Gretchen Haehl open for 11 points on 3-of-3 3-point shooting. And Pruzin? She passed out seven assists.

"I thought we moved the ball well. We talked about wanting to run the run the floor and try to stretch them defensively. I thought that helped us then in our half-court set, kind of get into the floor," DePauw coach Kris Huffman said the season-sweep of Rhodes.

DePauw built a 39-20 halftime lead and had 12 assists on the 15 field goals. And when the Tigers missed, they scored eight second-chase points with offensive rebounds.

"We were pretty good on the glass. We talked about it before the game and especially if they were going to be in a zone [defense] we wanted to get some second and third looks if we could," Huffman said.

DePauw never trailed in this game, jumping out to a 9-2 lead while Haehl and Kalei Lowes each netting threes in the first three minutes of the contest.

"Our guards demand a lot of attention defensively from opponents, so it has opened some things inside for us," Huffman said.

Fernandez and 6-1 center Emily Marshall were 6-of-11 shooting from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, but couldn't always finish plays with Rhodes' zone defense collapsing around them.

"We talked about [at halftime] maybe we were forcing some shots. They get anxious to score in there, maybe we took a few bad shots early. So I thought we did a better job of recognizing [the second half]," Huffman said.

DePauw's scored two second-chance baskets to open the second half, one a three-pointer by Haehl on a pass out of the post from Fernandez that gave the Tigers a 44-20 lead.

The Tigers led by 24 to 28 points through the second 20 minutes.

"I liked our defensive effort. We have some room to improve in, but I thought it was a good effort, top to bottom," Huffman said.

At DePauw

Rhodes (50) -- Clarin 1-7 2-3 4, McGill 4-10 1-2 9, Farrell 6-13 0-0 13, Atnip 4-12 1-2 11, Whitaker 1-4 2-2 4, Flatt 0-2 0-0 0, Lytle 1-5 2-2 5, Solar 0-1 0-0 0, Ryan 2-2 0-0 4, Bradshaw 0-0 0-0 0, Sprenkel 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-57 FG, 8-11 FT, 50 TP.

DePauw (78) -- Pruzin 1-7 1-1 3, Lowes 1-4 0-0 3, Gr. Haehl 3-5 2-2 11, Fernandez 9-12 0-2 18, Marshall 3-7 3-4 9, Lauer 1-2 2-3 4, Keiser 0-1 0-0 0, Matthews 4-8 1-1 9, Chaney 2-2 0-1 4, Tobik 0-0 0-0 0, Gw. Haehl 2-5 2-2 4, Barrow 0-2 0-0 0, Frigerio 1-6 1-3 3, Ketterer 0-0 0-0 0, Travelstead 2-4 1-2 5, Pettie 0-1 0-0 0, Merkel 1-5 0-0 0. Totals 30-71 FG, 13-21 FT, 78 TP.

Halftime score: DePauw 39, Rhodes College 20

3-Pt. Goals -- RC 4-18 (Atnip 2-5, Farrell 1-2, Lytle 1-3, Clarin 0-5, Flatt 0-2, Solar 0-1), DPU 5-12 (Gr. Haehl 3-3, Gw. Haehl 1-2, Lowes 1-3, Pruzin 0-3, Frigerio 0-1). Total fouls: RC 20, DPU 12. Fouled out: None. Rebounds -- RC 28 (Clarin, Farrell, Lytle 4), DPU 55 (Marshall 9). Turnovers -- RC 12, DPU 10. Assists: RC 5 (Solar 2), DPU 19 (Pruzin 7). Steals -- RC 1 (Clarin), DPU 5 (Pruzin 3).

Next game: DePauw (18-3, 11-0 in SCAC) will host Birmingham-Southern at 1 p.m. Sunday.

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