Box Score FORT WAYNE, Ind. – With four of five starters scoring in double figures, the Indiana Tech women's basketball team easily dispatched the Crusaders of Madonna University in both team's Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference opener, 98-85 on Saturday at the Schaefer Center.
The Warriors (4-2, 1-0) started fast, scoring the games' first six points. The Orange and Black didn't let up on either end of the court. The Warriors stretched the lead to 11, 22-11, with 13:56 to play in the period before going on a 27-9 run, including holding the Crusaders scoreless for five minutes in the half, and extending their lead to 33 points to make the score, 49-16.
Tech took a 30-point lead, 52-22, into the locker room, outscoring Madonna 22-8 in the paint, 14-2 in points off turnovers and 6-0 in second chance points. Tech shot 54.5 percent (18-for-33) in the half including a 60 percent (6-for-10) clip from behind the three-point arc. The defense was outstanding for the Warriors as MU was 6-for-32 (18.8%) in the half including a 1-for-14 (7.1%) mark from three. Senior
Rachael Kruse led all scorers with 17 first half points.
The Orange and Black stretched their lead to 40 twice in the second half, the last coming at the 9:45 mark, an 89-49 lead. The Crusaders then used a 36-7 run over the final nine minutes to cut the lead to 11, 96-85. Two free throws from senior
Sabine Filippovica with 23 seconds to play sealed the 13-point, 98-85 victory. Madonna turned the tables in the second half, outscoring Tech 30-18 in the paint, 28-9 in points off turnovers and 27-12 in bench points.
Madonna shot 60.6 percent (20-for-33) in the second half despite a 2-for-7 (28.6%) mark from long range. They also went 21-for-27 from the free throw line, while Tech went 15-for-29 (51.7%) from the field in the second half and 4-for-6 (66.7%) from three.
Kruse finished with a game-high 28 points while Filippovica finished with a double-double, 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Chelsea Carradine and
Ulyssia Richmond each finished with 15 points. Chelsea Williams led the Crusaders with 22 points.
The Warriors return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 19 when they travel to Huntington, Ind. to face Huntington University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
