The Big Red took a 22-point lead into the locker room after a hot-shooting first half and proceeded to clamp down at the defensive end in the second half, limiting Hiram to just 14 points and a 4 of 31 performance from the field. All of that resulted in an impressive 85-35 victory for DU in their regular season finale in front of the largest crowd of the season at Livingston Gymnasium.
Four players scored in double figures for Denison and all 18 players saw action. Denison was led by junior Haley Dahlgard (Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate) who was coming off a career-high 28-point outing on Wednesday against Oberlin. Dahlgard's hot streak carried over to today's game where she went 7 of 12 from the field and 3 of 5 from 3-point territory for 17 points. She also added five rebounds and five assists in just 24 minutes.
Serafina Nuzzo (Western Springs, Ill./Fenwick) was 4 of 6 from beyond the arc and finished with 16 points and five rebounds. Shania Kaiser (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) followed with 15 points and eight rebounds while Christina Meyers (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial) scored 14 points.
DU was 31 of 63 (.492) from the field and 9 for 21 (.429) on 3-point tries. They out-rebounded Hiram 50-29 and posted assists on 23 of their 31 field goals.
The win locks Denison into third place in the North Coast Athletic Conference standings and assures them a home game in the quarterfinals of the NCAC Tournament which tips off on Tuesday (Feb. 23). Their opponent for Tuesday is still to be determined.
Denison improves to 18-7 overall and 10-6 in conference play while Hiram drops to 4-21 and 3-13 in the NCAC.
Prior to the game Denison seniors Teresa Young (Payne, Ohio/Wayne Trace) and Jackie Pachuta (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) were honored for their four-year's of contributions to the Denison basketball program along with two-year student assistant coach, Dave McGinnis. Young played eight minutes and scored two points while dishing out three assists. Pachuta scored one point at the free throw line and also added four rebounds while also playing eight minutes.
