GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – If you ventured out to the DU Student Center to watch Davenport take on Hillsdale College this afternoon, you were in for a dandy of a game. The Panthers earned their third straight victory, thanks to two clutch free throws by Scout Nelson. This was the second straight game that Davenport won by a single possession and also the second straight double-double for freshman Elise Scaggs. In addition, sophomore Toni Grace rained in 30 points, including six triples in the game.
 
THE BASICS
Final Score: Davenport-77 | Hillsdale-75
Location: Grand Rapids, Mich.
 
POINTS PER HALF
First Quarter: DU-20 | HC-17
Second Quarter: DU-18 | HC-15
Third Quarter: DU-21 | HC-25
Fourth Quarter: DU-18 | HC-18
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Grace was on fire in the opening quarter of play. She poured in 15 points, which included three threes and six free throws. Davenport held a 20-17 advantage after a last second layup by Hillsdale to close the quarter.
 
The Panthers maintained the lead for a majority of the second quarter, but a five-point lead was flipped after the Chargers went on an 8-0 run. Davenport made a late run to end the quarter, giving them the momentum heading into the break. The run started with a three by Grace, tying the game at 32-32 with 1:43 left in the half. Scaggs stepped to the free throw line a minute later and drilled two, giving DU a two-point lead. The half ended with a pair of steals and fastbreak layups by Madison Jones, putting Davenport up six points.
 
The lead grew to eight points roughly half way into the third quarter after a three by Grace and then Jones. Hillsdale pushed back and cut the DU lead down to two points heading into the final quarter of play.
 
Again, Davenport grew their lead up to eight points, but immediately after Hillsdale went on a run. The Chargers scored eight unanswered to tie the game at 73-73 with 1:16 to play in regulation. Grace dished a beautiful pass to Opolka on the left block and she finished the layup to put DU up by two. Neither team scored on their next possessions and the Chargers found themselves with the ball and down by two points with 18 seconds remaining. Coming out of a timeout, Hillsdale missed a three, but rebounded the miss and Sydney Mills finished with just under five seconds on the clock, tie ball game. Davenport called a timeout and drew up a gorgeous sideline out of bounds play. Grace tossed the ball into Scaggs on the left wing, she then faked a handoff to Grace coming to the middle of the court and instead gave the ball to a cutting Nelson down the left wing. Nelson drove hard and drew contact from Hillsdale's Julia Wacker, sending Nelson to the free throw line to shoot a pair with 0.6 seconds left. She stepped up to the free throw line and calmly knocked down both, giving Davenport a two-point lead. Hillsdale had a last second three attempt on the left wing, but the shot missed the mark and Davenport won!

STAT LEADERS
Points: Grace (30)
Rebounds: Scaggs (10)
Assists: Nelson (5)
Steals: Jones (5)
Blocks: Courtney McInerney (4)
 
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS


PLAYERS OF THE GAME



 
UP NEXT
Davenport will play again on Saturday, November 30 against Olivet on the Panthers home floor.
 
Story by: Devin Steiner
 
Picture credit: Chris duMond