Davenport 65, Walsh 61 (Nov. 14)
Sophomore Ellie Toney carried the Davenport women’s basketball team to a 65-61 win over Walsh on Tuesday for the Panthers’ first win of the season. Toney scored a career-high 22 points and recorded her first career double-double with 10 rebounds in 31 minutes. She went 6-of-12 from the floor including 3-of-5 from the arc and also went 7-of-8 at the free throw line.
Davenport led 31-22 at the half and increased their lead to 52-38 after three quarters. Toney hit a pair of free throws to begin the fourth quarter for a 54-38 lead with 8:55 to play. The Cavaliers began to employ a full-court press and got themselves back into the game. Davenport was stuck on 56 points from the 8:23 mark until the 4:52 mark after a pair of Isabel Lindo free throws for a 58-51 lead.
Alycia Triplett split at the free throw line with 1:19 remaining to make it 62-59 and a one-possession game. Davenport turned it over under a minute to go, but Kiley Dyrlund missed a layup with 31 seconds left on a brilliant blocked shot by Lillee Gustafson. Gustafson was fouled and missed her first free throw but made the second to go up 63-59. Dyrlund was fouled by Toney with 23 ticks left and made both of her free throws to make it 63-61.
Mary Liedel stepped up as seniors should and made both free throws with 16 seconds left for a 65-61 lead. Abby Hickey missed a triple for Walsh and Alexa Kolnitys secured the rebound. Kolnitys missed both free throws with five seconds to play, but Walsh could not race downcourt and get off a shot.
The Panthers overcame 26 turnovers in large part due to the full-court pressure. Walsh committed 19 turnovers as well, but outscored the Panthers 25-20 in points off turnovers. Liedel was in double figures with 11 points for Davenport and grabbed five rebounds. Gustafson led the team with 14 rebounds giving her 25 games in her career with double-digit rebounds.
Davenport’s best shooting quarter was the third when they went 8-of-16 from the floor. They finished at 36.4 percent (20-of-55) including 7-of-18 from behind the arc.
Findlay 60, Davenport 43 (Nov. 18)
The Panther women’s basketball team hit the road for the first time this season and ended up returning home with a 60-43 loss against Findlay. The team just could not find their shooting touch going 17-of-60 from the floor (28.3 percent) including 1-of-19 from behind the arc.
The first quarter saw the teams tied at 12 at the conclusion. DU led 4-0 in the first 1:15 of the quarter and kept that lead until the 5:30 mark on a triple by Findlay’s Addisyn Freeman. The offense for both teams went cold as both teams scored three points each in the final 4:22 of the quarter. Alexa Kolnitys scored five points in the quarter for Davenport going 2-of-3 from the floor.
The second quarter was another story as the Oilers outscored the Panthers 19-7 to take a double-digit lead heading into the locker room up 31-19. Findlay shot 8-of-18 in the quarter while Davenport shot 3-of-13. Nevaeh Williams scored the first basket of the quarter for DU, but then Findlay went on a 11-0 run and kept DU off the board for over five minutes. Lillee Gustafson ended the drought at the 4:28 mark on a layup.
Findlay extended their lead in the third quarter outscoring the Panthers 18-11. At that point, DU fought tough in the fourth quarter and outscored the Oilers 13-11 in the final 10 minutes. DU would not get any closer than 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Gustafson led the team with 12 points and grabbed six rebounds. Ellie Toney added eight points and six rebounds. Jaci Walker scored eight points off the bench and had four boards. Kolnitys did not score after the first quarter and finished with three steals and four rebounds.
