Box Score
WASHINGTON, Pa.  - The No. 3 ranked Davenport Panthers held their opponents from Muskingum University (Ohio) to the second fewest points in school history as they opened the Washington & Jefferson Tournament with a 54-37 win.  The Panthers held the Fighting Muskies to only six points over the final 13:55 of the game to improve to 6-0 on the year. DU will face Washington (Pa.) in tomorrow's championship game at 4:00pm

James Nelson once again led the scoring output with a game high 15 points but it was the play of the Davenport defense that became the story. The Panthers, holding their opponents to just 54.8 points per game coming into today, limited Muskingum to just 26% shooting and only 13 made field goals. DU also out-rebounded the Muskies 45-26.

In a first half that saw only 42 points combined, the Panthers trailed 6-2 early but a 9-0 run that covered just over 3:00 of game clock put DU on top 11-6.  It was a lead that they would never relinquish ultimately going into the locker room up 22-20. The Panthers connected on just 9-27 shots in the opening 20 minutes and were a dismal 1-7 from behind the arc.

After a bucket by the Muskies tied the game at 22 in the opening minute of the second half, Davenport responded with nine straight to burst ahead 31-22 on a baseline jumper from James Nelson.  The margin was lowered to two (33-31) at the 13:55 mark but that would be as close as MU would get as Davenport used a 19-2 run to break the game open.  DU allowed only 6 points over the final 13:55 of play and only 17 points the entire second half.

Davenport will play host Washington and Jefferson at 2:00pm on Sunday. The game will be broadcast live thanks to the SID crew at W&J.

Post-Game Quotes - Head Coach Burt Paddock

On Traveling and picking up key non-conference win - “It was good to see how our kids responded after a nine hour bus ride and long day in the hotel…It's always good to get the kids out of their comfort zone and see how they respond”

On stellar play of defense - “It definitely was not our best game to date offensively but the kids never stopped competing and they realized it was going to have to be done on the defensive end…any time you hold a team to that few a points in the second half you are going to have a chance.”

Post-Game Notes

The 37 points allowed are the second fewest in school history and is only three points away from tying the mark set in 2008-09 when DU defeated Andrews University 71-34 on November 4, 2008…Davenport is now 7-2 under Paddock against NCAA D3 schools…DU will meet host Washington and Jefferson in the championship game at 4:00pm

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