DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Louisiana-Monroe
DePaul Wins the Duel in the Desert, Tops Louisiana-Monroe
12/21/2013 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Dec. 21, 2013
Box Score: DePaul 79, Louisiana-Monroe 57 
LAS VEGAS - Jasmine Penny led four DePaul players in double-figures and helped the Blue Demons to a 79-57 win, over Louisiana-Monroe in the championship game of the Duel in the Desert on Saturday at UNLV's Cox Pavilion. DePaul has won four straight and improves to 8-3, while Louisiana-Monroe falls to 4-8.
DePaul used a balanced attack in which 11 different players scored and every available Blue Demon player saw action against the Warhawks. Penny scored 16 points, Megan Rogowski added 13 and Jessica January (12) and Kelsey Reynolds (10) came off the bench to score double-figures.
Chanise Jenkins, who scored eight points against ULM, was named the tournament's MVP after dishing out 15 assists, scoring 29 points - including a career-high 18 against Washington, and grabbing 15 rebounds. Brittany Hrynko was named to the all-tournament team, after dishing out 19 assists during the three-game tournament.
January led the Blue Demons on the glass versus ULM, and tied a season-high with eight rebounds. Centrese McGee grabbed five boards while adding three assists and two steals.
DePaul disrupted ULM's game plan and forced a season-high 32 turnovers. The Blue Demons recorded 14 steals, while January was responsible for a season-best four steals.
Along with its win over ULM, DePaul captured the Duel in the Desert title with victories over Pittsburgh (77-63) and Washington (73-66).
DePaul's defense locked down early and forced 17 ULM turnovers in the first 20 minutes. With the Blue Demons disrupting everything the Warhawks tried to run, Louisiana-Monroe shot just 27.6 (8-for-29) in the opening stanza.
With DePaul leading 11-8, the Blue Demons put together an explosive 30-3 and led 41-11 with 3:22 to play in the half.
During the scoring burst, eight different Blue Demons scored while Kelsey Reynolds recorded all eight of her first half points. With DePaul running on all cylinders, the Blue Demons forced 11 Warhawk turnovers while ULM was just 1-14 during DePaul's run.
The Blue Demons went to the locker room behind nine points from Jasmine Penny while Jessica January grabbed seven rebounds.
DePaul started the final 20 minutes on an 11-12 run; which saw Jenkins and Penny both complete a 3-point play, before Rogowski drained her second 3-pointer of the game and a Hyrnko layup gave the Blue Demons a 54-21 advantage.
DePaul's lead never dipped below 16 the rest of way. Penny scored seven second half points to lead the Blue Demon offensive assault.
Sharnice Brooks lead ULM with 11 points. Ashleigh Simmons grabbed seven rebounds for the Warhawks who dropped all three of their games in Las Vegas.
DePaul breaks for the Christmas holiday and plays at Bradley on Dec. 29. The Braves and Blue Demons tip at 3 p.m. in Peoria.
Duel in the Desert, Gray Bracket All-Tournament Team
Chanise Jenkins (MVP), DePaul
Brittany Hrynko, DePaul
Ashleigh Simmons, Louisiana-Monroe
Brianna Kiesel, Pittsburgh
Jazmine Davis, Washington
Notes: Season long four-game winning streak... previous long was three games to start the season... DePaul forced 32 ULM turnovers which is a season-high... previous best was 28 against Illinois State on Nov. 18... DePaul has scored at least 73 points in all 11 of its games... ULM's 19 first-half points are the fewest points an opponent scored this season... DePaul outrebounded ULM 28-16 including an 11-5 edge on the offensive glass... DePaul scored 14 second chance points in the first half... DePaul is now 1-0 all-time against Louisiana-Monroe and is now 6-4 all-time against schools from the Sun Belt Conference.
