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Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Lady Panthers extended their win streak to eleven games as they beat an up and coming Indiana Tech team 88-69. The win improves the Panthers to 11-0 on the season and 2-0 in conference play. The Lady Panthers will next take on Siena Heights on Wednesday at 8:00 pm.
The Lady Panthers got out to a quick 4-0 lead when Kristi Boehm (Kent City, Mich.) hit a pair of free throws and Kallie Benike made a jumper but it would be some of the only scoring early on for DU as they struggled mightily from the field in the opening half.
Indiana Tech came back and took a 7-6 lead with a three at the fifteen minute mark but a three by Karlee Despres (Belmont, Mich.) 1:30 later gave Davenport a 9-7 lead, a lead that Davenport wouldn't give up. The junior Despres finished with 12 points as she was one of four to score more than 10.
Davenport used a 10-2 run in the middle of the first to extend their lead to 25-15, but Indian Tech wouldn't fold and cut the lead to 31-25 at the half.
Opening the second half, junior Riana Hensley (Toledo, Ohio) scored seven straight points to increase Davenports lead to 13. Hensley would finish with a team leading 19 points to go along with 8 rebounds.
Kristi Boehm, who was honored before the game for passing the 1,000 points mark earlier this season, scored 9 points in a five possession span for the Panthers to give Davenport their biggest lead of the game 61-40 with 10 minutes remaining. The senior guard finished with 15 points and 6 steals.
Indiana Tech kept fighting but would never get closer than 14 points for the remainder of the game.
Davenport made a Student Center record 31 free throws in the win. The team also tied a team record for most blocks in a game with 7 as Despres finished with a career high 2.
Both teams shot poorly as DU finished just 36.7% from the floor while the Warriors were even worse at 33.3%. The teams combined for 51 personal fouls and 54 turnovers (32 from Indiana Tech).
Kallie Benike (Campbellsport, Wis.) finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds, a team high 5 assists, to go along with 3 steals. Leading the Panthers in rebounding was Jeannie Closson (Parchment, Mich.) with 13 as the senior also chipped in with 9 points.
The Lady Panthers will next take on Siena Heights on Wednesday, December 8 at 7:30 pm. Siena Heights. The Saints lost their conference opener on Wednesday 78-66 when they traveled to Concordia. This will be the Lady Panthers last home game before the December 29 showdown with #1 Northwestern College (Iowa).
