TIFFIN, OHIO -- Junior Brandi Dawson (Garrett, Ind./Garrett) scored a game-high 28 points to lead the Trine University women's basketball team to a 71-46 victory against Heidelberg University at Seiberling Gymnasium in Tiffin, Ohio.
Dawson connected on 11-of-14 field goal attempts (78.6 percent) and went six-of-seven (85.7 percent) at the free-throw line to finish with her 28 points. Freshman Shay Herbert (Pinckney, Mich./Pinckney) was the next highest scorer for the Thunder with nine points to go along with a team-high six rebounds.
In addition, junior Cassidy Williams (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold) led all players in assists, and matched her career high, with seven helpers.
As a team, Trine shot 50.0 percent (30-of-60) from the field and the Thunder defense held Heidelberg to just 25.4 percent shooting (16-of-63) while forcing 20 turnovers.
The Trine defense played tough in the first half as the Thunder held the Student Princes to just eight points in both the first and second quarters. Trine (10-0) made an early statement by scoring the first 11 points of the contest with seven of those points scored by Dawson. Heidelberg (3-7) came back by outscoring Trine, 8-2, to end the period and narrowed the gap to five points, 13-8, after the first stanza.
The second quarter started in similar fashion as the first as the Thunder offense tallied the first eight points to extend the margin back to double digits, 21-8, following a jumper by Dawson at the 7:14 mark. The Thunder lead hovered around the double-figure mark for the majority of the remainder of the half which included a 12-point advantage at the break, 28-16.
Trine opened the second half with eight consecutive points to begin the third quarter to make it a 20-point game, 36-16, with 6:49 remaining. The Student Princes would not threaten the Thunder lead the remainder of the period which ended on a layup by junior Shelby Oldham (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) to give the visitors a 50-29 advantage heading into the final 10 minutes.
Heidelberg looked to make some noise in the early minutes of the fourth quarter by outscoring Trine, 11-4, to get to within 14 points, 54-40, with just under seven minutes remaining. Leading by 15 points at the 5:07 mark, Trine rattled off six straight points on consecutive layups by junior Shaely Duff (Greenfield, Ind./Mount Vernon), Dawson and Duff again to extend the lead back out to over 20 points, 63-42, with 3:34 to play. The final points of the contest came on a three-pointer by senior Lucy Sare (Charlotte, Mich./Charlotte) which gave Trine its largest lead of the game of 25 points and a final score of 71-46.
Trine will travel to Las Vegas, Nev. to take part in the two-day D3hoops.com Classic and will face some tough competition that will include a matchup against No. 3 nationally-ranked, and defending NCAA Division III national champion, Amherst (Mass.) College. The Thunder will tip-off their stay out west on Thursday, Dec. 28 with a matchup against University of Wisconsin-Stout. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. (EST).