GRANVILLE, Ohio — The #8 Denison Women's Basketball team overcame an early deficit to pull out a 57-50 victory over #9 John Carroll on Valentine's Day inside Livingston Gymnasium. The Big Red battled through a slow start, outscoring the Blue Streaks in the second half to improve to 22-1 overall and 11-1 in NCAC play, continuing their strong run in conference competition. 

First Quarter: The opening quarter was a back-and-forth battle as both teams traded baskets early. Denison got on the board first with two tip-ins from Anelly Mad-Toingué, but John Carroll responded with a 3-pointer to stay close. Brooke Toigo helped the Big Red regain momentum with two timely threes, while Abby Cooch and Kress Morgan added strong paint presence. The quarter ended with John Carroll holding a narrow 22-18 lead, setting the stage for a competitive matchup.

Second Quarter: The second quarter saw John Carroll pull away early, sparked by strong inside play and timely free throws. Denison battled to stay close with layups from Mad-Toingué, Molly Dorighi, and Ada Taute, plus a jumper from Dorighi on a fastbreak. Despite a late surge from the Big Red, including back-to-back layups and a jumper to trim the deficit, John Carroll carried a 34-26 lead into halftime. 

Third Quarter: Denison came out of halftime determined with an 18-0 run, chipping away at John Carroll's lead with a flurry of fastbreak points and strong paint play. Mad-Toingué, Taute, and Violet Mitchell all scored key buckets, while Toigo and Cooch added jumpers and free throws to keep the Big Red within striking distance. Kress's tip-in and free throw helped Denison take the lead for the first time in the quarter, and back-to-back layups from Taute and a tip-in by Mitchell extended the advantage. By the end of the quarter, Denison had swung the momentum, leading 46-40 and setting the stage for a competitive final period.

Fourth Quarter: Denison extended their lead in the fourth quarter with timely scoring from Taute, Cooch, and Mitchell, combining fastbreak layups and jumpers to pull away. John Carroll kept fighting back but the Big Red's defense and clutch free throws from Taute kept the momentum firmly in Denison's favor. A late jumper from Taute sealed the victory, giving Denison a 57-50 win and completing a hard-fought Valentine's Day win.

Key Performers: 

• Ada Taute finished with 12 points, adding five assists, three steals, and two rebounds.
• Anelly Mad-Toingué recorded nine points while dominating the glass with 14 rebounds.
• Abby Cooch contributed eight points, three assists, a steal, and a rebound.
• Morgan Kress added six points and pulled down nine rebounds.