Scots Battle Against Slow Offensive Start, Drop Conference Match-Up to DePauw

WOOSTER, Ohio – The College of Wooster women's basketball team opened the first game of a Fighting Scots basketball doubleheader against DePauw University on Saturday afternoon, as DePauw capitalized on hot shooting and defensive intensity to close the first period with a 27-7 advantage en route to a 78-41 win over Wooster at Timken Gymnasium.

Senior Rachel Collins led all Scots with 10 points on 4-for-10 shooting, including a pair of 3-pointers, to go along with two rebounds and one assist.

DePauw's Claire Ryan paced both teams with a double-double on the day, tallying a game-high 18 points and 11 rebounds, while teammates Maya Howard and Taylor Howard got into double-figures in the scoring column with 15 and 10 respectively.

The Tigers (8-1, 4-0 North Coast Athletic Conference) jumped out to a quick 9-2 run before a 3-pointer from junior Aki Shurelds got the Scots back to within two possessions at the 7:07 mark. But a 15-2 run from DePauw sealed a 20-point lead going into the game's second period, as the Scots struggled to scrape away at the deficit for the remainder.

The Tigers held on to a 48-18 advantage at the halftime break, fueled by efforts on both ends of the floor. DePauw shot 17-for-34 (50.0 percent) from the field in the opening 20 minutes while holding Wooster to just 7-for-34 (20.6 percent)

The Scots (1-7, 0-3 NCAC) proved better in the second half, holding DePauw to 31.3 percent shooting (10-for-32) from the field and upping their own percentage to just under 30 percent, going 8-for-28 in the second half.

Sophomore Anna Gibbs finished with seven points, followed by Shurelds who had six. Junior Katie Mandych and first-year Courtney Lockhart ended with four points and two rebounds each.

The Scots commence their final week of classes before beginning winter break, with Muskingum University (3-3, 2-0 Ohio Athletic Conference) slated next for a 2 p.m. game at Timken Gymnasium on Sunday, Dec. 18.