The Denison women's basketball team controlled play in the second half en route to a 79-62 victory over Hiram College in their North Coast Athletic Conference opener on Saturday afternoon.

The Terriers jumped out early and pushed their lead to six points (10-4) almost half way through the opening period.  DU responded with an 8-0 run capped off by a Shaina Kaiser (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) bucket to retake the lead with 9:18 left in the frame.  After a pair of free throws by Hiram's Alex Dellas tied the game at 12-all, Denison rattled off 11 unanswered points to build up a 23-12 advantage.  The Big Red's 11-point spurt saw five different players score.  Hiram methodically trim the margin to as few as five points (29-24), before entering the locker room down 32-26.

The Terriers opened the second half with a jumper by Ashley Drum to cut the deficit to four, but that is as close as they would get as DU, over the next 11 minutes, expanded their lead to 23 points (63-40) with 8:12 remaining in regulation.  The Big Red maintained their double digit lead for the rest of the period as they notched their five win in a row.

For the second time this season Denison shot over 50 percent from the field as they converted 32of-61 (52.5 percent), while Hiram shot 34.4 percent (22-of-64) from the floor.  DU also held a 41-36 edge on the glass.

Kaiser and first-year post player Lucy Follansbee (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall School) led the Big Red with 15 points apiece.  Kaiser also added eight rebounds, while Follansbee pulled down six boards and recorded two blocks to accompany her career-high 15 tallies.  Haley Dahlgard (Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate) finished the night with 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Kristen Meyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy) logged 11 points and Serafina Nuzzo (Western Springs, Ill./Fenwick) added six tallies and six assists.

Hiram was led by Drum's 19 points and Dellas's 10 rebounds.  Brittany Mayle and Kelsey Durichko chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Denison improves to 5-1 on the year and 1-0 in the NCAC while the Terriers fall to 0-4 on the season and 0-1 in league action.  The Big Red returns to action on Wednesday (Dec. 9) when they travel to Gambier, Ohio to take on the Kenyon College Ladies at 7:30 p.m.