Big Performances lift Women's Basketball to Third Straight Victory
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas women's basketball team (6-8, 2-3 SCAC) won its third-straight contest in the past four days, with an 87-67 final over Centenary College (6-10 (1-5 SCAC) on Saturday evening. Dallas notched season-highs in total points, three-pointers with 10, and assists with 25. The Lady Crusaders also received great individual performances by junior Seana Stoia (Tulsa, Okla.) and sophomore Michelle DeCoud (Monument, Colo.). The forward tandem combined for 46 points.
It was an early advantage for UD in the first quarter, as the home squad built a 27-18 advantage through the 10-minute span. That point amount set a season-high in a quarter for the Lady Crusaders and was the third straight game they eclipsed 20 points in the opening frame.
Out of the tip, Centenary's Deianna Hall connected on two free throws, but DeCoud countered back with consecutive jumpers to give the home team its first lead of the night. Dallas would never relinquish the edge, despite the Ladies keeping up throughout the middle of the quarter, and tying things 9-all with 5:23 on a field goal by Hall.
Junior Lindsey Gendron (Houston, Texas) had an offensive rebound lead to a put-back, and consecutive trey's by classmates Sammi Tso (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Caitlyn Worry (Lumberton, Texas) sparked an eventual 10-0 run that was capped by sophomore Helen Onyenso's (Oak Park, Ill.) layup. Centenary's Samantha Lyons ended the streak with a trifecta of her own and the guests pulled within three (19-16) with 2:22 remaining. UD ended the remainder of the quarter with the final eight points, including three's by Worry and Stoia. The Lady Crusaders' dialed in half of their eight trey's in the first half at that juncture.
Things were fairly even in the second quarter, with Dallas carrying a 41-31 advantage into intermission. With 8:12 minutes left in the third, Jasmine Morris for the Maroon and White completed the old fashion three-point play to cut the deficit to 47-41. This propelled Centenary to a 9-2 swing on the scoreboard to nip things at two (49-47) with 5:56 remaining. Stoia posted a pair of shots from the charity stripe and cap a stretch of nine-straight points on a layup with 2:42 on the clock. Gendron's trey with 55 ticks left in the quarter pushed UD's lead by double-digits temporarily before the Ladies' Briana Edwards notched a basket with time expiring.
The Lady Crusaders withstood the momentum and would shift things on their side in the fourth quarter, concluding the last 10 minutes just like they started by outscoring the opponent by nine. UD's greatest lead of the game occurred with 1:06 left by a margin of 22.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Stoia shattered a personal best 27 points, with 15 coming in the first half. She also notched a career-most 10 field goals with a 60.0 shooting percentage. DeCoud claimed season-highs with 19 points and 12 rebounds for her second straight double-double. Seven of her boards were offensive and she was a 100 percent (7-of-7) at the line.
- Rounding out a trio of double figure performances was Tonry with 15 points. The guard added eight rebounds and six assists. The three players in double figures also compiled a 94.4 percent (17-of-18) mark the charity stripe. Stoia added seven boards.
- Worry and Gendron would added eight points apiece. A quintet of Lady Crusaders chipped in two treys including: Tso, Gendron, Tonry, Stoia, and Worry. Dallas shot 46.2 percent from the floor and 45.5 percent downtown.
- Behind Tonry's second highest assist total in the last three games, was Tso with five. Stoia set a career-high with four and Dallas cracked 20 scoring passes as a team for the third time this year.
- Centenary would be outrebounded 41-33 and barely on the offensive boards 17-15. The team shot 38.3 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from three. Points off turnovers were even at 17 apiece and so were points in the paint at 34.
- Leading the Maroon and White individually for scoring was Lyons with 19 points. Edwards followed closely with 18 and clinched the second double-double of the contest with 10 borads.
UP NEXT
Dallas concludes a four-game homestand next weekend with a pair of conference contests. On January 22, the team welcomes No. 17 Trinity University for an 8 p.m. tip. The next day, UD plays Schreiner University at 6 p.m.