Tigers take down Southwestern for 18th stright win

Friday night, the DePauw women's basketball team hosted Southwestern in a SCAC game at Neal Fieldhouse.

The Tigers entered the game ranked fifth in the D3hoops.com and sixth in the USA Today/ESPN Division III polls and hoped to extend its 16 game winning streak and earn it 22nd consecutive home court SCAC win.

Southwestern, entering the game with an 8-10 and a 3-4 SCAC record, made a valiant effort against DePauw, but the Tigers overpowered the visitors and improved its season record to 18-1 and a perfect 8-0 in the conference, winning, 87-61.

The game opened with the lead being exchanged three times in the first three minutes of the first half. Then DePauw scored seven unanswered points in the next 50 seconds, taking a 13-6 lead that they would not relinquish for the rest of the game.

During the final 16 minutes of the half, the Tigers limited Southwestern to 11 points while an efficient, balanced offense, that allowed seven players, Lindsay Houin, Liz Bondi, Suzy Doughty, Kalei Lowes, Gretchen and Gwen Haehl, and Bridget Bailey to get into the scoring column, produced 33 points in the same stretch.

DePauw took a 46-17 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Southwestern played with more intensity in the first five minutes of the second half, closing the Tigers' lead to 24 points at 56-29, but DePauw outscored the visitors, 19-7, during the next eight minutes of the game.

The Tigers substituted freely during the rest of the game and three more players, Cassie Pruzin, Caitlin McGonigal, and Alisha Grusz, joined the other scorers for the home team.

All 18 Tiger players were able to enter the game and contribute to the win.

DePauw earned the victory by gaining an advantage in every statistical category of the game.

The Tigers shot 55 percent from the field, including 67 percent on six-for-nine shooting from behind the three-point line.

DePauw out-rebounded the visitors, 33-21, and the defense forced Southwestern to commit 27 turnovers as six Tigers gathered 15 steals of Southwestern's passes.

"I really liked our effort in the first half. Defensively and rebounding wise, I thought we performed really well," commented DePauw coach Kris Huffman after the game. "We had a let down in the second half, and that was a little bit disappointing.

"I thought our bench did really well and our guard play was pretty good. I thought our defensive pressure made a difference in the first half."

"We shared the ball well on offense. The times where we struggled offensively, we were taking too quick of a shot and weren't working the ball well enough. We've got Trinity here on Sunday and they are a very good team, ranked in the top 25.

"They are very athletic and they change up their defenses a lot, so they will be a challenge. We'll have to get our turnovers under control against them," Huffman added.

DePauw had three players who scored in double figures. Lowes and Bailey, the leading scorers of the game with 18, and Bondi with 15.

Doughty, Pruzin, Gretchen and Gwen Haehl followed with seven each, Houin and McGonigal with three each, and Grusz closed-out the Tiger scoring with two points.

Houin pulled-down a game high eight rebounds.

Doughty dished-out four assists and had five steals.

The Tigers (18-1, 8-0 SCAC) host Trinity at Neal Fieldhouse Sunday afternoon in another SCAC game at 2:00 p.m.

At DePauw

DePauw (18-1, 8-0 SCAC)

Houin 1-4 1-2 3, Bondi 6-10 3-3 15, Doughty 3-5 1-1 7, Pruzin 2-5 2-3 7, Lowes 6-8 3-3 18, Mahon 0-0 0-0 0, McGonigal 1-2 1-1 3, Chaney 0-0 0-0 0, Gretchen Haehl 2-7 2-2 7, Gwen Haehl 3-8 0-1 7, Wagner 0-0 0-0 0, Cadet-Duval 0-0 0-0 0, Krouse 0-1 0-0 0, Bailey 9-9 0-0 18, Travelstead 0-1 0-0 0, Grusz 1-1 0-0 2, Beneker 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 34-62 FG 13-16 FT, 87 TP.

Southwestern (8-11, 3-5 SCAC)

Azizi 2-3 0-0 4, Hoch 1-3 4-4 7, George 3-6 2-3 8, Kainthla 2-5 0-0 5, Johnson 3-7 3-3 10, Hankins 0-3 0-0 0, Hua 0-2 0-0 0, Hill 3-6 0-0 6, Warren 2-2 0-0 6, Thomas 1-2 0-0 2, Hardy 0-0 0-0 0, Connelly 0-0 0-0 0, Gordon 4-9 5-5 13. Totals 21-48 FG 14-15 FT, 61 TP.

3-pt. FG - DP 6-9 (Pruzin 1-2, Lowes 3-4, McGonigal 0-1, Gretchen Haehl 1-1, Gwen Haehl 1-1), SW 5-12 (Hoch 1-1, Kainthla 1-2, Johnson 1-3, Hankins 0-1, Hua 0-1, Hill 0-2, Warren 2-2). Rebounds - DP 33 (Houin 8, Bondi 5, Doughty 3, Pruzin 3, Lowes 1, McGonigal 3, Gretchen Haehl 2, Gwen Haehl 1, Bailey 4, Team 3), SW 21 (Azizi 2, Hoch 1, George 3, Kainthla 1, Johnson 1, Hill 3, Warren 1, Thomas 1, Connelly 1, Gordon 2, Team 5). Blocks - DP 4 (Bondi 1, Gretchen Haehl 1, Cadet-Duval 1, Bailey 1), SW 3 (Azizi 1, Thomas 1, Connelly 1). Assists - DP 20 (Houin 1, Bondi 1, Doughty 4, Pruzin 2, Lowes 2, Mahon 1, McGonigal 2, Chaney 1, Gretchen Haehl 4, Gwen Haehl 1, Cadet-Duval 1), SW 12 (Hoch 1, Kainthla 1, Johnson 2, Hill 1, Warren 5, Gordon 2). Steals - DP 15 (Houin 2, Doughty 5, Lowes 2, McGonigal 1, Gretchen Haehl 2, Gwen Haehl 3), SW 8 (Azizi 1, Hoch 2, Johnson 1, Hankins 1, Hill 2, Warren 1). Total fouls - DP 18, SW 16. Fouled out - none. Turnovers - DP 19, SW 27.

Next game - The Tigers (18-1, 8-0 SCAC) host Trinity at Neal Fieldhouse Sunday afternoon in another SCAC game at 2:00 p.m.