Women's Hoops Hangs Onto OT Win Over Denison

Springfield, Ohio – The Wittenberg women's basketball team held ­on for the 68-62 overtime win over the Big Red of Denison University on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers finished with four players posting double figures in the scoring column on the afternoon. Leading the offensive charge for the Tigers was Kristie Kalis, logging her second double-double of the season tallying 18 points and 11 rebounds. This win completes the season sweep over the Big Red after Wittenberg took the first game on the road 75-69, while on their way to posting their highest marks shooting from the field. With this win, the Tigers improve to 10-10 on the season and 5-6 in the NCAC.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Wittenberg captured their first lead early in the game, going up 12-10 before the final buzzer of the first quarter sounded. The Tigers stopped the Denison offensive attack through most of the second quarter, for allowing the first Denison points to fall five minutes into the quarter. The Big Red shot 26% going into the intermission, as the Tigers held a five-point lead 28-23 at the break. Alex Kiess scored 11 of her 12 points in the first half, converting on four of seven attempts from the floor. Haley Dannemiller added five rebounds, four points, and three blocked shots before the break. The senior from Cleves, Ohio would finish with eight boards, six assists, six points, and five blocked shots. After scoring five of her 18 points in the first half, Kalis came alive for the final 20 minutes adding 13 points and four rebounds to her final stat line. Kalis would block two shots and come up with a steal on the afternoon. After a scoreless first half, Delaney Williams bounced back for a stellar second-half performance posting 12 points. Williams finished with five assists, three rebounds, and two steals. With two points coming in the first half, Amanda Raber knocked down four of eight looks from the field to score 12 points on the afternoon. Raber added five rebounds and two assists to her total on the afternoon. After Denison fought back in the fourth quarter to force overtime, allowing just eight Wittenberg points over the final 10 minutes of action. Wittenberg would storm back through the final five minutes of added time, posting a 9-2 scoring run to end the game.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Wittenberg knocked down 40% of their shots from the field on the afternoon, converting on 80% of their trips to the free-throw line with 16 of 20 shots made. The Tiger's pulled down 39 rebounds on the afternoon and forced 16 Denison turnovers. With their largest lead extended out to as many as 15, Wittenberg saw 32 points scored by their bench on the day.

UP NEXT: Wittenberg will travel to Allegheny on Friday, February 2 to take on the Gators. Tip-off is set for 6:00 PM.