UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - It was the first game of a four-game road stretch for the Davenport women's basketball team on Thursday night as they traveled to Saginaw Valley State. The Panthers dropped a 59-39 decision to the Cardinals and for the first time in program history did not score over 40 points in back-to-back games.
The Panthers scored 38 in a home loss against nationally-ranked Grand Valley State on Saturday and did not lead at any point in this one as the Cardinals swept the season series. The first quarter was all SVSU as they led 17-5. Davenport shot 2-of-17 from the floor in the quarter and started down 10-0 before a free throw by
Alexa Kolnitys at the 6:32 mark. The team did not have their first field goal until the 3:21 mark on a driving layup by
Jaci Walker.
The Panthers did keep it close in the second quarter as they clamped down defensively and had a 10-5 edge on the scoreboard to trail 22-15 at halftime. The Cardinals shot 2-of-7 from the floor and committed six turnovers. Davenport got five points from
Makenna Bryant in the quarter and got her first start of the season.
The Cardinals had their best offensive quarter after halftime scoring 21 points in the third compared to 10 for the Panthers. DU shot 21.4 percent in the third going 3-for-14 including 1-for-7 behind the arc. SVSU shot 64.3 percent (9-for-14) to build a bigger lead heading into the fourth quarter. Victoria Stafford and Aleshia Jones each scored five points in the quarter for the Cardinals.
A 15-point deficit was the closest that DU would get in the final quarter and the Cardinals led by as many as 23 with 30 seconds left. Davenport finished the game shooting a season low 19.7 percent including 2-for-20 behind the arc. SVSU shot 42 percent and was 5-for-17 from the arc.
Lillee Gustafson had a season-high 16 rebounds for DU including 11 offensive boards. Walker led the team with nine points off the bench in 21 minutes.
The Panthers will travel to Detroit on Saturday for a 1:00 PM tip against Wayne State.
