Blue Demons Win Second Exhibition Game
11/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Box Score
CHICAGO – After getting off to a sluggish start, the DePaul women’s basketball team scored 69 second-half points en route to a 105-79 exhibition win against the Chicago Challengers. The Blue Demons closed the exhibition portion of the schedule at 2-0 and open the regular season next weekend with the DePaul Invitational.
Familiarity was the theme early on as all 10 starters on the court had played at DePaul for Doug Bruno. A lay-up by Jamie Lewis gave the Challengers a 10-9 advantage with 13:30 left in the first half before they built the lead to four points at 16-12 on a free throw by Kristi Faulkner.
DePaul scored the next 14 points as Jenna Rubino’s three-pointer with 6:24 on the clock pushed the lead to 26-16. The Challengers answered with a 14-4 run and tied the score at 30-30 with another Lewis jumper in the paint.
The score would be tied three more times over the final three minutes before Charlene Smith made a steal in the DePaul backcourt and converted the lay-up for a 37-36 Challenger advantage at halftime.
The Blue Demons opened the second half with a 16-5 run that saw a Rubino three-pointer give the current squad a 10-point lead at 50-40. Following a time out, Caprice Smith took a Challenger miss and dribbled to the other end to knock down a jumper for a 54-42 advantage.
With six minutes left, Allie Quigley converted a three-point play and hit a jumper on DePaul’s next possession to extend the lead to 87-70. A Ciara Johnson baseline lay-up and two Quigley free throws made the score 91-72 with just under four minutes left in the game.
The Blue Demons eclipsed the 100-point mark for the second straight game as Missy Mitidiero knocked down a pair of free throws with 64 seconds on the clock. Holly Medley and Alexis Musante capped the scoring for DePaul with a lay-up and three-pointer.
Rubino led the Blue Demons with 23 points, 11 rebounds and four assists while Quigley added 20 points, four assists and three boards. Mitidiero scored 14 points with four three-pointers and Erin Carney added 10 rebounds and eight points for DePaul.
Charlene Smith led the Challengers with 21 points and seven rebounds with Jenni Dant adding 17 points, five rebounds and four assists. Lewis finished the game with 15 points and three rebounds.
DePaul hosts Alabama State, Harvard and UNLV next weekend in the DePaul Invitational. The two-day tourney takes place the DePaul Athletic Center. Alabama State and UNLV start the action on Friday at 5:30 p.m. followed by DePaul and Harvard at 7:30 p.m. The two winners square off on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. preceded by the consolation game at 5:30 p.m.