Late Surge Propels No. 15/15 DePaul Past Green Bay 73-64

Friday, November 9

McGrath-Phillips Arena

7:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

Green Bay

DePaul

Late Surge Propels No. 15/15 DePaul Past Green Bay 73-64

11/9/2018 10:52:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Box Score PDF Box Score

Dahlman and Millender spark a 17-0 run in the final four minutes

CHICAGO – College basketball coaches traditionally schedule a less-challenging opponent to open a season looking to start out on a positive note.

Not Doug Bruno. The DePaul women's basketball coach invited a team to Lincoln Park that has made the NCAA tournament nine times in the last 10 years.

It was a full 40 minutes of all-out scratching and clawing and trading off one big shot after another Friday night that went right down to the wire. Sparked by a late rally, No. 15/15 DePaul emerged with a 73-64 victory over Horizon League champion Green Bay at McGrath-Phillips Arena.

Rebekah Dahlman playing her first full game at DePaul since transferring from Vanderbilt in 2017 led the comeback with 21 points. Ashton Millender added 15 points, converting four times from three-point range. Tanita Allen contributed 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Frankie Wurtz led Green Bay with 23 points and 12 rebounds.

You could feel the tension all night long as the Blue Demons searched for a winning rhythm. And when it finally clicked, it was an avalanche.

Trailing 61-53 with 7 minutes, 32 seconds left in the fourth quarter, who else but Dahlman would ignite the rally with a free throw and a three. Then came an Allen three-pointer, two Dahlman foul shots, Millender from distance, a Stonewall put-back, Millender's foul shot and a Stonewall basket.

When the smoke had cleared, the scoreboard had gone from 61-53, Green Bay to 70-61, DePaul after Bruno's team scored 17 in a row.

Green Bay (0-2) opened the fourth quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 59-51. It was 61-53 when DePaul seized control of the game.

This turned into a real dogfight. After the Phoenix built a nine-point lead early in the third quarter, the Blue Demons went on a 7-0 burst.

It went back and forth the rest of the third quarter as Kelly Campbell, Dee Bekelja, Mart'e Grays and Sonya Morris hit big shots down the stretch. The home team trailed 53-51 heading into the fourth quarter.

DePaul (1-0) got off to a slow start and fell behind 8-0 three minutes after the opening tip. Allen scored the first Blue Demon points of the new season on a three-pointer.

The Phoenix went on a 10-3 run to move in front 18-6. Behind sparkling play in the first quarter Bekelja, the home team scored eight in a row to close out the first quarter within 18-14.
Bekelja (eight points) knocked down a pair of threes in that spurt as the sophomore guard provided a spark off the bench.

DePaul went on a 14-4 run in the second quarter to move in front 28-25. Morris had a brilliant sequence with a three-pointer followed immediately by a steal and layup. The freshman guard provided some valuable minutes starting in her collegiate debut.

Green Bay recovered from the Blue Demon blitz to outscore DePaul 13-7 and led 38-35 at halftime.

The Blue Demons shot just 9-of-32 from the field in the first 20 minutes but were 8-of-20 from distance. Green Bay shot nearly 61 percent from the floor. DePaul finished the night shooting 36 percent.

Dahlman & Co. return to action Nov. 17 with a huge showdown against No. 1/1 Notre Dame at Wintrust Arena.

Postgame Notes

DePaul is 34-11 all-time in season openers.
Coach Doug Bruno's record in season openers at DePaul is 25-8.
Millender needs 37 points to reach the 1,000-point mark for her career.
Grays needs 110 points to reach the 1,000 level.
Dahlman is 127 points shy of the 1,000 mark.
Freshman Morris was in the starting lineup for her first college game, joining Grays, Millender, Chante Stonewall and Kelly Campbell.