Scots' Second-Half Push Not Enough to Upset Denison

WOOSTER, Ohio – The College of Wooster overcame a slow start to draw within striking distance midway through the second stanza, but Denison University pulled away late to down the Fighting Scots 66-50 in a defensive-minded North Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball match-up Saturday evening at Timken Gymnasium.

Both teams shined on the defensive side of the ball in the first half, as Denison (11-2, 3-1 NCAC) limited Wooster (5-6, 0-2 NCAC) to just six field goals, and the Scots forced the Big Red into nine turnovers. With neither squad able to generate much offense, Denison held a 29-19 advantage at the break.

The scoring picked up to start the second half, though, especially for the Scots, as they put together a quick 5-0 scoring run, capped by a close-range jumper from Lauren Hancher, to pull within 29-24. The Big Red snapped Wooster's run with a 3-pointer, but Karley Walker responded with her own 3-pointer to cut the deficit back to five (32-27).

Wooster and Denison traded buckets over the next four minutes, with Rachel Huxhold splashing a 3-pointer with around 12 minutes remaining in the game that kept the Scots in striking distance at 40-34. It was at that time when Denison again clamped down defensively, and on the offensive end, it produced a 9-0 scoring run that pushed its advantage to 15 (49-34) and gave it the cushion it needed to seal the outcome.

The Scots' offense was much improved after the break, as Hancher scored eight of her 10 points, and Maura Hall added seven of her 10 in the second half. Walker led the team with 12 points, which included two baskets from behind the arc, and Suvi Puripattarapan was solid across the board, with seven points, six rebounds, and five assists.

For the third time this year, Wooster limited its turnovers to single-digits, this time with a season-low seven.

Denison's Gretchen Staubach paced the team in scoring with 14, but it was newcomer Jordan Holmes that was the biggest difference-maker, as she pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked nine shots in a dominant defensive effort.

Next up, Wooster visits Ohio Wesleyan University (6-6, 1-2 NCAC) on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.