The Big Red battled back from an 18-point first half deficit, but three costly turnovers down the stretch resulted in a 71-68 upset win by Earlham College on their home court in Richmond, Ind. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak against Earlham that dated back to the 2005-06 season.
With 5:40 to play in the game, Denison took their first lead when Christina Myers (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial) dropped in two of her career-high 23 points, putting DU on top 60-59. Myers would score the next four points for the Big Red and with 3:12 remaining, the two teams were tied 64-64.
Turnovers, which had plagued both teams throughout the night, caught up to the Big Red in the final minute. After Earlham's Katie Franks tied the game at 68-68 with 28 seconds left, Earlham's Michelle Miranda stole Denison's inbounds pass attempt and was subsequently fouled by Denison's Myers, sending Miranda to the line with a chance to give her team the lead once again.
Miranda connected on both charity tosses, and Denison took over with a chance to either tie or win the game with a 3-pointer. Just as it did seconds earlier, the inbounds play plagued the Big Red and the ball was rolling loose on the floor. Before the Big Red to gain possession, Miranda was there for Earlham to gain possession. She got the ball to Jayana Sims who was fouled by Myers with six seconds left.
Sims split the pair at the line and Haley Dahlgard's (Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate) game-tying 3-point attempt with four seconds left would be off the mark.
Myers led all scorers with 23 points while going 9 of 13 from the field. Dahlgard chipped in 17 points and was 3 for 6 from 3-point range.
Earlham was led by Miranda who finished with 19 points, nine rebounds and five steals. The freshman was 6 of 13 from the field.
Denison was 26 of 60 from the field (.430) while Earlham connected on 44 percent of their field goal tries (24 of 55). The Quakers outrebounded the Big Red 39-32 but committed one more turnover than the visiting Big Red (23-22).
DU will return to the court on Saturday (Feb. 13) when they travel to Meadville, Pa. for a 3 p.m. tip-off against Allegheny College. Denison sits at 15-7 and 7-6 in the North Coast Athletic Conference with three games left in the regular season.
