Crusaders earn 4th Win in a Row; Westminster goes Cold and Stoia Ties Points Career-High
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – For the second day in a row in the Rhodes College Classic, the University of Dallas women's basketball team (4-1) utilized a big second half to clip its opponent after trailing at the break. The latest victim of the Crusaders' first four-game winning streak since two years ago (December 6 – January 3) was Westminster College (1-5). Dallas trailed by six at halftime and would go on to score 41-22 over the next two quarters combined. This included the Crusaders outscoring their opponent 19-7 in the fourth.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Blue Jays scored on their first two possessions to begin the game up 4-0. Michelle DeCoud (Monument, Colo.) cut the score in half about two minutes in for UD's first points. Teammate Seana Stoia (Tulsa, Okla.) scored the next points two minutes later to tie things at four. Dallas never gained a lead though in the quarter, as its opposition etched the next four. A DeCoud layup and split at the free throw line by Holly Tonry (Seattle, Wash.) narrowed the margin to one (8-7), but six unanswered points for Westminster expanded its advantage and finished the 10-minute frame up 16-12.
A minute into the second quarter elapsed before WC's Brooke Stauffer sank a jump shot to move the board at 18-12. The Crusaders clawed back with eight in a row to gain their first lead of the contest. Stoia started the surge by making her lone pair of free throw with eight minutes left. At 5:21, the next points occurred on a layup by Helen Onyenso (Oak Park, Ill.). The junior nipped the margin to one (18-17) by converting the free throw on an old fashioned three-point play. After Tonry forced a steal on the next possession, Celsi Caraway (Arlington, Texas) hit the go-ahead basket on the Crusaders' second three-pointer (both by her) made halfway through the quarter.
After a layup by Ali Perry knotted the game at 20, Caraway chimed in with two free throws to put Dallas back on top 22-20. Unfortunately, the remaining 4:18 minutes resulted in no points for UD and the Blue Jays reclaimed a 28-22 advantage.
The scoring did not remain silent after the intermission. Despite early success from Westminster to build a double-digit lead at 6:02 in the third (38-28), the Crusaders stormed back over the next minute with nine unanswered. Stoia sparked the rally on a trey, Onyenso converted on her second three-point play (all points from those) and Stoia dialed from downtown again.
The Blue Jays countered with Kelsey Ray's trifecta, but only one field goal was recorded by her squad after that shot with just beneath four minutes. Meanwhile, Stoia hit her third trey of the quarter to cut the deficit to one again (41-40). Tonry hit a go-ahead jumper and then UD traded the lead back on Westminster's final field goal of the stanza. DeCoud posted the layup with 1:07 in the third that propelled Dallas in front for the remainder of the game. That capped the highest scoring quarter by either side on the night with 22 points for the Navy and White.
The Crusaders then rode a 16-0 scoring streak through most of the last 10 minutes that was started on the final field goal of the previous frame. Mirrakohl Johnson for WC had last scored with 1:27 in the third. Westminster went cold from the floor not making a shot through the entirety of the quarter. Andrea Zalis snapped the lengthy run for UD on a pair of free throws with 2:49 left to play. The Blue Jays scored all fourth quarter points on a 7-for-8 result at the charity stripe. They displayed a 0-for-14 on the field and 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Stoia matched her career-high 27 points to lead all players and recorded her second double-double in a row with 10 rebounds. The senior amassed the same points total on January 16 last year at home versus Centenary College.
- Stoia impressed shooting 10-for-12 overall and was perfect from three-point (5-5) and free throws (2-2). All of Stoia's long range attempts were in the second half. As a team, UD made eight trifectas to match a season-most.
- DeCoud was the other player to break double figures in scoring with 14 points. Her eight rebounds were second and she added three assists and two steals. Caraway scored eight points – all in the first half.
- Tonry dished a game-high eight assists and swiped the other two steals as UD finished with four.
- Dallas was outshot 55 percent to 26.9 in the first half. However, this flipped in the next half, as UD boasted a 55.6 percentage compared to 18.2-clip by the Blue Jays. Dallas shot 41.5 percent overall and its opponent was 32.1 percent from the floor.
- The Crusaders forced 14 turnovers compared to eight of their own. This led to a 16-10 advantage on points off turnovers. UD also led second chance points with an 11-7 difference.
- Assists favored the Navy and White 19-11.
- Westminster hauled a massive difference on the glass, 41-28.
- Zalis led the Blue Jays with 15 points and was second on the team in boards with seven. She was 100 percent at the line with eight free throws. Johnson was the other opponent to eclipse double-digits in points with 13. She had a team-high eight rebounds.
UP NEXT
Dallas is home again on Thursday, December 1. The Crusaders are 2-0 at the Maher Center this campaign and welcome Southwestern Adventist University for a 6 p.m. tip.