Blue Demons Streak to Fifth Win in a Row

Friday, February 22

Wintrust Arena

7:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

Xavier

DePaul

2/22/2019 9:39:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

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Grays and Millender lead DePaul past Xavier 81-48 on Friday night

CHICAGO – DePaul came into Wintrust Arena Friday night looking to ride a late-season BIG EAST surge right into the conference tournament.

Led by Mart'e Grays' 17 points and 11 rebounds along with Ashton Millender's 13 points, the Blue Demons defeated Xavier 81-48 for their fifth win in a row.

Kelly Campbell supported the two leading ladies with nine points, nine rebounds, four steals and three assists. Freshman Jolene Daninger tied a season high with nine points on 3-of-4 shooting from behind the arc.

Leading by 17 at halftime, DePaul (20-7, 11-4 in the BIG EAST) kept the offensive pressure on Xavier in the third quarter. Millender continued her marksmanship with two baskets and Chante Stonewall scored twice. Campbell set up a textbook three-point play on a fast-break layup with a hesitation move to draw the foul. The three-point play made it 51-29 in the middle of the quarter.

Rebekah Dahlman's three-pointer, a Lexi Held hesitation drive layup, Dee Bekelja's layup and a Tanita Allen jumper closed out the third quarter with a 9-0 run and a 65-34 lead going into the final 10 minutes. DePaul put this one away outscoring the visiting team 26-12 in the quarter.

Bekelja's two foul shots early in the fourth quarter maintained the 31-point advantage. Daninger hit from three-point range for a 70-36 lead in the middle of the period.

Grays opened the game scoring twice down low and Allen followed with a three-point shot. Stonewall's fast-break layup on a nice feed from Millender provided a 10-5 advantage at the first quarter media timeout.

A Millender three and two Held free throws helped the Blue Demons build a 19-11 lead after the first quarter.

Three-pointers by Campbell and Millender helped the home team move in front 30-18 early by the middle of the second quarter. Coach Doug Bruno began subbing in players five at a time in an effort to wear down the Musketeers (11-15, 2-13).

Fresh into the game, Daninger buried a three for a 36-20 lead. Campbell matched that with a long-distance connection of her own as DePaul went up by 19.

The Blue Demons took a 39-22 advantage into their halftime locker room. Grays had 12 points and nine rebounds at the break and Millender nine points. DePaul outrebounded Xavier 25-16 over the first two quarters and finished with a 47-34 margin.

DePaul is right back at Wintrust Arena on Sunday for its final home game of the regular season taking on a talented Butler (20-6, 1-5) team that beat No. 11/11 Marquette 61-57 Friday night in Milwaukee. The 2 p.m. game will be televised on NBC Sports Chicago and shown on the BIG EAST Digital Network.

The Blue Demons will have an emotion-filled postgame Senior Day ceremony and celebration Sunday honoring the careers of Tanita Allen, Rebekah Dahlman, Mart'e Grays and Ashton Millender after the final regular-season home game of their respective careers.

Postgame Notes

Friday night's victory gives Doug Bruno's program a 20-win season for the 12th time in a row and 27th time overall.
Grays has scored in double figures the last eight games and came away with the eighth double-double of her career.
Held has scored 63 points in her last four games.
The Blue Demons had a season-low eight turnovers and forced 20 from Xavier.
Millender (1,288 points) is No. 22 on the all-time scoring list, in pursuit of Jenna Rubino (1,314).
Grays (1,278) is No. 23 on the all-time scoring list.
With 266 career three-pointers, Millender is No. 3 all-time. Brittany Hrynko is No. 2 at 281 and all-time leader Lenae Williams finished with 303.
Millender (721) is No. 2 all-time in career three-point attempts. Williams set the career mark with 924.
Campbell (429) is No. 7 all-time in assists passing up WNBA All—Star Allie Quigley (427). Molly Watson is No. 6 with 471.
Millender (137 games played) is tied with Brooke Schulte for No. 3 all-time, just one behind Brittany Hrynko and two behind all-time leader Chanise Jenkins.
DePaul is now 18-0 all-time against Xavier.