GRANVILLE, Ohio – Led by three players in double figures, including Alison Schafer with 19 points, Denison women's basketball swept the regular-season series over Hiram College on Wednesday evening by a final score of 76-61 at Livingston Gymnasium in Granville. The win pushed the Big Red to 14-6 overall and 8-3 in the North Coast Athletic Conference, currently sitting in second place in the conference standings.

The Big Red took control of the game in the opening minutes as they shot 10-of-17 (59%) from the field in the first quarter to build an early 23-15 lead. Senior Shonta Lockett led Denison in the opening frame with seven points on 3-of-5 shooting while Lily Morris and Lauren Turner each tallied a three off the bench.

Leading the Terriers 33-23 with 2:53 to play in the second quarter, the Big Red began to pull away from the opposition. Junior Zyah Beal answered a Haley Thompson jump shot with one of her own, sparking a 7-0 scoring run for Denison that saw Morris connect from the perimeter and Addie Buzas record a bucket in the final seconds to take a double-digit lead, 40-23, into the break.

After outscoring Hiram 21-12 in the third behind 10 points from Schafer, Beal and Turner scored the first five points of the final frame to give Denison their largest lead of the night, 66-35, with 8:49 remaining in the game. The Terriers followed with a 15-2 scoring run that trimmed the DU lead to 68-50, but timely baskets from Lauren Hofer and Hannah Wynn in the final minutes helped the Big Red put away HC for their seventh win in their last nine games. The loss dropped Hiram to 6-13 on the season and 3-7 in NCAC play.

Schafer's 19 points came on 7-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-7 from three. She also added five assists, three steals, and three rebounds. Beal followed with 13 points and five rebounds while Hofer chipped in 12 points, five boards, and three blocks. Morris, Turner, and Lauren Longbrake combined for 23 of Denison's 26 points of the bench while Turner and Longbrake each posted six rebounds.

Hiram's Tashauna Wright led all scorers with 25 points on 9-of-20 shooting while adding three rebounds. Cici Bright tallied 13 points and five boards while Thompson and Alainna Conroy posted eight points each.

The Big Red will return to action next Saturday, Feb. 8 when they travel to Oberlin College for a 2 p.m. tip-off with the Yeowomen.