Scots Fall Behind Early in 75-65 Loss to Denison

Anna Gibbs
Anna Gibbs

GRANVILLE, Ohio – The College of Wooster women's basketball team could not get a win streak started Wednesday night, falling to Denison University 75-65 in North Coast Athletic Conference action.

Senior Anna Gibbs scored a game-high 20 points, while Maria Janasko added 17 points and a team-high six rebounds off the bench. Kyle Croxton added 11 points as the only other Scot in double figures.

Valesha Province led Denison with 17 points. Lauren Hofer scored 15, Lauren Longbrake scored 13 and Zyah Beal added 10.

Denison's 7-0 run to start the game was enough of a cushion for them to carry the lead throughout the rest of the game. After Denison ended the first quarter with a 21-11 lead, the two teams played even for the remainder three quarters.

Gibbs scored five straight points to bring the Scots to within four with 2:22 left in the first half. That was Wooster's best chance of closing the gap, but Denison expanded the lead back to 10 by halftime 39-29.

Wooster shot 39 percent (21-for-54) from the court and connected on just 8-of-24 attempts (33 percent) from beyond the arc. They also struggled at the free throw line, shooting just 56 percent (15-for-27).

Denison shot better than 50 percent for the game (32-for-61), hit 6-for-17 (35 percent) from deep and 5-for-9 (56 percent) from the foul line.

Wooster held the rebounding advantage 36-33. They also outscored the Big Red in second chance points 14-6 and bench points 27-23. Denison outscored the Scots in the paint 32-20.

The Scots drop to 6-16 overall and 2-11 in the conference, while Denison moves to 14-7 overall and 9-3 in the NCAC.

Wooster hosts Wittenberg University on Saturday.