Box Score Box Score

MEADVILLE, Pa. – Denison junior forward Gretchen Staubach scored a game-high 18 points as the Big Red took advantage of 21 Allegheny turnovers to slip past the Gators, 61-56, on Saturday afternoon at the David V. Wise Center.

In the third consecutive match-up between the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rivals to be decided by six points or fewer, the Gators (9-8, 4-4 NCAC) faced an 11-point deficit with under eight minutes remaining.  Allegheny made a valiant comeback effort, led by sophomore guard Kendall Hoffman, who finished with eight points.

Senior forward Daryl Ford led the Gators in scoring and rebounding, tallying 15 points while grabbing eight boards. Defending NCAC Player of the Week Emma Pellicano recorded 10 points and four rebounds, converting 5-of-11 shots from the field.  First year guard Jessica Mrdjenovich scored eight points, hitting a pair of shots from beyond the arc.

“We took better care of the ball in the second half,” commented Allegheny head coach Kate Costanzo. “We need to rebound better and hit our free throws down the stretch.  We fought hard and fell short to a talented and experienced Denison squad.”

The Big Red (9-8 overall, 4-4 NCAC) scored 21 points off of Allegheny turnovers and used 14 offensive rebounds to finish with 10 second chance points. 

Denison opened the game on a 9-2 run over the first four minutes, leading by as many as nine.  The Gators closed to within four after layups by Ford and freshman guard Rachel Vigliotti.  Mrdjenovich converted a deep three-pointer that rattled home as time expired in the first half to send Denison into halftime with a 31-25 lead while giving the Gators momentum heading into the second. 

Ford took over out of the break, scoring every point of a 7-0, half-opening run.  Denison struck back, building an 11-point lead with 7:43 remaining.  Hoffman subbed in with 7:08 on the clock and immediately made an impact, hitting a three-pointer on her first shot after entering the game.  The sophomore then won a battle for a rebound, dishing the ball to Vigliotti who completed a 7-0 run with a jumper that cut the Denison lead to four.

Hoffman struck again with 4:08 remaining and the Gators still down four with her second three-pointer of the game, bringing the Gators to within one.  After a Denison turnover, Ford found an open Hoffman under the basket.  Hoffman's layup put the Gators ahead, 56-55, with 3:32 left in the second half. 

The Gators would go cold after taking the lead as Denison used a 7-0 run to seal the victory.  Denison grabbed five rebounds in the final two minutes, including three offensive boards that kept the Gators off the attack.  Staubach converted 3-of-4 free-throw opportunities to put the game out of reach.

Allegheny will continue NCAC play at 6 p.m. on Jan. 23 against Hiram before returning home on Jan. 26 against Kenyon for Allegheny College Community Day.