DePaul University Athletics
Quigley Leads DePaul Over Missouri State
12/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Sam Quigley led a quartet of DePaul players in double-figures as the Blue Demons defeated Missouri State 72-57, Wednesday in front of a raucous crowd of 4,687 at the JQH Arena. DePaul has won its three games and improves to 8-2, while Missouri State falls to 1-7.
Quigley finished with 18 points, including a 4-for-8 showing from behind the arc. Keisha Hampton followed with 14, while she added a career-high four blocks and led the team with a career-high five assists. Natasha Williams and Deirdre Naughton rounded out the double-figure scoring with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
After winning the opening tip, stingy defense and hot shooting combined to give the Blue Demons an early 12-7 advantage with 12:59 left in the half. With DePaul’s inside game controlling the tempo, Felicia Chester and Williams combined for eight points, four rebounds and a block in the first seven minutes of play.
Down by five, MSU went to work and used a 10-4 run to take a 17-16 lead on Jasmine Malone’s jumper from outside the key. The Lady Bears extended their lead to 20-16 on Melissa Busby’s three with 7:41 left in the half.
Down four, the Blue Demons answered with eight straight points and took their final lead of the evening on their only 3-pointer of half; a trifect by Naughton. DePaul closed out the half with a 10-8 run and went to the locker room with a 33-28 advantage.
After hitting just 1-of-8 from behind the arc in the first half, Quigley and Deanna Ortiz caught fire and combined to hit 6-of-8 from 3-point range to pull DePaul out to a 53-37 lead with 13:08 left in the game.
Quigley’s jumper with 3:48 left in the contest gave DePaul its second 16-point advantage at 69-53.
Naughton put the Blue Demons over the 70-point mark for the seventh time this season with her third 3-pointer of the evening with 22 seconds left to play.
Williams led the Blue Demons with 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of her career.
Malone guided the Lady Bears with 18 points, while Maggie Dwyer and Jacque Griggs also finished in double-figures for MSU.
Blue Demons return to the court on Sunday, Dec. 14 when they welcome Northwestern to McGrath Arena for a 2 p.m. game. DePaul has been successful against its interstate opponents, having won its last 33 contests against schools from the state of Illinois.