CINCINNATI, Ohio (December 20, 2023) – Just one game after hitting a game-winning 3-pointer against Case Western Reserve University, Denison University's Abigail Westmeyer poured in a season-high 20 points and added 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season as the Big Red held on late in the fourth quarter to defeat Mount St. Joseph University 65-59 in nonconference action on Wednesday evening in Cincinnati.

The two teams combined for 27 turnovers (17 DU; 10 MSJU) in the first half as the Big Red clung to a narrow 29-28 lead at the break after shooting 50 percent from the field (7-14) in the second quarter.

The scoring then picked up in the third quarter with Denison making four of their first five shots and finishing 10-for-18 (55.6 percent) overall en route to a 23-point period and a 52-43 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

However, the Big Red proceeded to start 0-for-6 from the field in the fourth quarter with a pair of turnovers as the Lions cut the deficit to just two points (52-50) two and a half minutes into the period.

Fortunately for Denison, one of the key differences in the game would be free throw shooting as a pair of free throws by Westmeyer stopped the bleeding, and then an and-one on a floater by Abby Cooch got the Big Red their first field goal of the quarter and made it a seven-point Denison lead (57-50) with six and a half minutes left to play.

The Big Red led by just two points (57-55) entering the final three minutes of the game after a 1-for-2 trip at the free throw line for MSJU, and then right after the Lions tied it with a fastbreak layup, Denison answered with a 3-pointer by Ada Taute on the third assist of the game by Cooch to retake the lead (60-57) with two and a half minutes to go.

It had been a 1-for-11 start to the fourth quarter for Denison before the 3-pointer from Taute, who scored again on a layup with under two minutes remaining to make it a five-point game (62-57).

After two more 1-for-2 trips to the free throw line by MSJU to get it back to a one-score game (62-59) going into the final minute, the Lions found themselves with possession with 15 seconds left and took a timeout to try and set up a game-tying shot.

With the shot clock winding down, MSJU's attempt was off target and missed everything, resulting in a shot clock violation to give the ball back to Denison with 12 seconds left.

MSJU had to foul twice to get Denison into the bonus, and Cooch was up to the task and sank both shots to put Denison back up by five points in the final 10 seconds.

Despite shooting just 3-for-15 (20 percent) from the field in the fourth quarter, Denison was 6-for-7 from the free throw line in the period and was 13-for-15 (86.7 percent) from the stripe overall. MSJU, conversely, was just 4-for-8 from the line in the fourth quarter and was 12-for-22 (54.5 percent) overall.

Westmeyer scored her 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 mark from the foul line. Behind Westmeyer, Denison was paced by Taute with 14 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.

With its third straight win, Denison improves to 7-2 overall this season while MSJU, which had started the season off 8-0, falls to 8-2.

After the Holiday Break, Denison will return to action at the Smokey Ballenger Classic, hosted by Otterbein University on Friday, December 29, and Saturday, December 30. The Big Red will first face off against Washington and Jefferson College at 3 p.m. on Friday.