The undefeated Denison University Big Red led the entire 40 minutes of play on Wednesday night as they logged their first victory as a nationally-ranked team.  The 17th-ranked Big Red defeated Oberlin College 65-35 in North Coast Athletic Conference action at Philips Gym in Oberlin, Ohio.

Denison, ranked in the top 25 for the first time in school history, opened the contest with a 19-4 run.  The Yeowomen responded with a 12-2 rally to trim the deficit to five, but a three-pointer by sophomore Nicole Coggins (Mesa, Ariz./Corona Del Sol) and a layup by senior Shaina Kaiser (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) in the final two and a half minutes helped DU take a 26-16 lead into the break.

The Big Red maintained a double-digit lead for the entire 20 minutes of the second half.  DU led by as many as 33 points on three separate occasions before securing the 30-point win.  Denison shot an impressive 62 percent (18-for-29) from the field in the second stanza.

Kaiser led all scorers with 16 points on 7-of-13 from the floor.  The senior also grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four assists in 30 minutes of action.  Sophomore post Lucy Follansbee (Nashville, Tenn./Harpeth Hall School) recorded 10 tallies in 12 minutes off the bench, while Coggins and senior Haley Dahlgard (Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate) notched eight points each.  Sophomore point guard Serafina Nuzzo (Western Springs, Ill./Fenwick) grabbed eight boards and handed out a game-high eight assists.

Syrea Thomas led Oberlin with 14 points, while Kelly Warlich pulled down a team-best five rebounds.

DU outrebounded the Yeowomen 43-24, including a 15-4 advantage in offensive boards.  Denison also got 30 points from their bench, and turned 17 Oberlin turnovers into 23 points.

The Big Red improve to 15-0 overall and 4-0 in the NCAC, while OC falls to 6-9 on the year and 1-3 in the league.  Denison returns to action on Saturday (Jan. 15) when they host Wooster at 1 p.m.