Streak ends for Crusaders on Woeful Shooting Night at Colorado College
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A six-game winning streak was snapped on Friday night as the University of Dallas women's basketball team (6-2, 0-1 SCAC) fell at Colorado College (2-8, 1-0 SCAC) in the conference opener. Dallas scored under 50 points for the second time this season (both setbacks) with a season-low tallied. The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) leader in scoring defense did limit the Tigers to 27.9 percent shooting from the field, as both teams struggled for much offense throughout the game.
STAT NOTABLES
- Dallas shot a season-low 21.9 percent (14-64) from the field.
- Michelle DeCoud (Monument, Colo.) recorded her 4th double-double of the campaign and eclipsed double-digits in her 7th contest with 12 points and 13 rebounds. DeCoud's game-high on the boards matches her total in consecutive games.
- Helen Onyenso (Oak Park, Ill.) notched eight-of-nine rebounds in the first half. She had four on the offensive glass.
- Seana Stoia (Tulsa, Okla.) chipped in nine points and seven rebounds, which included five offensive.
- Dallas slightly edged the Tigers 49-47 on the glass.
- The Crusaders forced 17 turnovers and swiped nine steals led by Holly Tonry (Seattle, Wash.) with four. UD held advantages in points off turnovers (12-7) and second chance points (17-8).
- Colorado College shot 27.8 percent (5-18) from three and were 12-for-15 (80 percent) at the charity stripe. The bench boasted a 24-9 edge for the home team.
- Individually, Jordan Meltzer earned a double-double to lead the squad in points (12) and rebounds (10). Casey Torbet added 11 points including making all seven free throws.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Neither team shot well in the opening stanza, as neither eclipsed double-digits in the scoring column until after the first 10-minute intermission. Dallas claimed the first points a minute into the tilt on a jumper from Caitlyn Worry (Lumberton, Texas). Over a minute went by before Tonry hit both free throws to open a 4-0 edge.
The Tigers didn't get on the board until 6:13 left in the first as Meltzer connected on the front-end of two from the charity stripe. The first field goal made on the home side occurred with four minutes left on a Torbet jumper. UD was also in a cold spell as Stoia's jumper ended nearly a seven minute span without a made field goal and five minutes without any points. The road team grasped a 9-5 edge at the end of the quarter.
Worry again had the Crusaders' first points in the second quarter with her second jumper to give her four points at the time. That basket was at 8:45 until half, and the next points etched for the guests was a pair of free throws by DeCoud barely two minutes later. An offensive rebound and put-back by Onyenso with 2:07 stretched the Crusaders biggest advantage of the night to six (19-13). However, the remainder of the time witnessed CC flip the momentum on a 7-0 run that was capped on a three-pointer by Francesca Cendali as time expired. That gave Colorado College a 20-19 halftime lead and was first time UD trailed that evening.
An old fashion three-point play by Stoia lifted the Crusaders back in front 30 seconds into the next half. On the next possession, Colorado College knotted the score back even with Meltzer's two free throws. A couple plays later Sammi Tso (Las Vegas, Nev.) countered at the line with a pair of made baskets and then Celsi Caraway (Arlington, Texas) drained only trey for the Navy and White to stretch a 27-22 edge with three and a half minutes gone by. Dallas shot 1-of-21 from behind the arc in the game. The Tigers nipped the gap to 27-26 about halfway to go and UD's next point came on a free throw by Onyenso with just under four to play. Colorado College found another late trifecta in the quarter by Kaylyn Radtke with 20 seconds to propel her team back on top 31-30.
Most of the fourth quarter proved to be a continual nailbiter of this contest. Dallas got its first lead of the frame on a DeCoud layup. Her basket with 3:17 netted her the double-double with her 10th point. On the next road possession, DeCoud sank another field goal to reflect a 43-40 edge. After an exchange of points down to the waning minutes, CC's Payton Katich poured a game-tying three with 57 ticks on the clock. At 45-all, the Crusaders turned the ball over and their opposition got a layup by Meltzer with 26 seconds. Tonry was fouled immediately but split at the line and the Tigers held on by making all four of their final free throws.
UP NEXT
Dallas returns to the Maher Center a final time in 2016 on Sunday versus Hendrix College. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.