Box Score  | Photo Gallery | Video Highlights
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Karli Harris had 16 points throughout the game but her heroics late in the second half helped the 12^th-ranked Davenport women's basketball team hold off No. 19 Cardinal Stritch's comeback and win the season opener 78-66 Friday evening at the DU Student Center.
 
Joining Harris in the double-digit marks were Kayleigh VanKeulen and Emily Nielsen, who collected 10 and 12 points, respectively. Harris and Nielsen were two shy in rebounds and steals from completing a double-double evening.
 
While Davenport nailed 27 field goals overall over Cardinal Stritch's 19, the Wolves were able to keep the score close by knocking in 21 of 30 free throws.
 
The Panthers made a quick jump right out of the gate to start the season by building a 24-6 lead with 11:36 left in the half. But the Wolves took advantage of Davenport's 13 personal fouls in the first half - going 8-for-12 at the charity stripe - to cut the Lady Panthers lead to eight at the half.
 
The Wolves cut the Panthers lead to two with 10:26 left, but Davenport never lost the lead as in the final eight minutes of the game, Harris tallied eight points to help rebuild the margin to 12.
 
The Lady Panthers will be tested again as they will hit the road to take on NCAA Division II Northern Michigan next Saturday at 6 p.m.
 
Post-Game Quotes – Head coach Mike Williams
 
On the win – “It's always great to get a win against a top-ranked team. We probably did have the edge being at home and I think that helped us start off the game making shots. It's huge for us because our first two games are really good teams.”
 
On the talk at half – “We just went over a couple things that they were doing to us offensively. We tried to correct that but it didn't work because we talked about our foul situation and the second half we fouled more. We weren't very smart defensively today with our fouls.”
 
On Karli Harris – “She's been in these situations. She's a big time player. She had a bad first half and that is going to happen. You're going to have a tough first half but she doesn't mind me challenging her and I challenged her, albeit in not so nice way, and she responded. She takes the challenge and she played much more aggressive and much better in the second half.”
 
On Northern Michigan – “They're really good. They're big. They're really big. Cardinal Stritch is a good size team and Northern Michigan is a lot bigger. Size gave us trouble in the second half tonight, especially in the second half, so we are going to have to address that. We're going to have to go up there and do a better job defending without fouling because they are going to hold the ball on us too and move it around and try to get us to get easy baskets or to get to the free throw line.”
 
Post-Game Notes
 
Davenport is now 9-2 in their season-openers…the Lady Panthers have also now won eight of their last nine openers…Davenport now leads the all-time series against Cardinal Stritch 2-1.
 
Follow Davenport Athletics on: FACEBOOK | TWITTER | You Tube
 
Follow Davenport Women's Basketball on: FACEBOOK | TWITTER