Dean Scores Career High 21 as Wooster Lights Up First Half

The College of Wooster women's basketball team scored a season-high 66 points thanks in part to a 60 percent shooting first half, but they fell to Heidelberg University 94-66 on Wednesday.

The Scots were led by a career-high 21 points and a career-best five 3-pointers from sophomore Ella Dean. She scored 14 of those points in the first half as Wooster was red hot from the floor going 18 of 30 and 7 of 11 from range including a perfect 6 of 6 in the second period.

Unfortunately, Heidelberg was just as hot as they shot 46 percent (17 of 37) from the floor and 40 percent (6 of 15) from deep for a 47-46 lead at halftime.

Heidelberg kept up its pace in the second half, while Wooster cooled. The Student Princes, led by a game-high 22 points from Morgan Altenburger, took the third period 28-14 and put the game out of reach for the Scots early in the fourth.

Heidelberg shot 47 percent (33 of 70) for the game and 42 percent (13 of 31) from range.

Turnovers and rebounds ultimately did the Scots in. Wooster committed 24 turnovers to Heidelberg's 10, and the Student Princes scored 26 points off those turnovers.

Heidelberg only outrebounded Wooster 38-36, but it was the second chance opportunities that hurt the most. Heidelberg had 17 offensive rebounds and 21 second chance points.

Wooster shot 46 percent (25 of 55) from the floor and 53 percent (8 of 15) from 3-point range. They also shot 80 percent (8 of 10) from the charity stripe.

Wooster scored the first eight points of the contest, but 3-pointers put Heidelberg right back into the game.

It was Wooster's largest lead and best scoring run, as they led for a good portion of the game at 17:26.

Senior Alyssa Chritz scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds. Sophomore Ella Biondi added 10 points.

First-year Ace Sturdivant had a career-high seven assists and added seven points. First-year Anna Hardink finished with a career-high nine rebounds, while also scoring her first points as a Scot.

Senior Alex Walker also found herself in the scoring column with two points, and classmate Melissa Burtscher's second period 3-pointer was her first points since February 2022.

Wooster (0-3) will close out its season opening four-game homestand Saturday when they host Defiance College (0-3) at noon.