FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The 14th-ranked Siena Heights women's basketball team saw its 14-game winning streak snapped in an 84-70 loss at the hands of the 13th-ranked Indiana Tech. Demi Russell (Toledo, Ohio) led the Saints with 22 points in the losing effort.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Ind. Tech 84, SHU 70
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana (Schaefer Center)
Records: Indiana Tech (18-4, 12-1 WHAC), Siena Heights (20-2, 12-1 WHAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st: Ind. Tech 26, SHU 21
Kiana Votava (Port Huron, Mich.) hit the game's opening shot in the first 14 seconds of play to give the Saints a 2-0 lead. Back-to-back three-point jumpers by the Warriors gave them a 6-2 lead and Siena Heights would not lead again for the remainder of the first quarter. The Saints did tie the score at 12 and 14 but Indiana Tech was able to keep the advantage throughout the opening 10 minutes of play.
2nd: SHU 42, Ind. Tech 38
Siena began the second quarter with a 6-0 run to recapture the lead 27-26 with 8:16 left in the first half. The Warriors responded with back-to-back layups to regain a 30-27 edge. Following a Russell layup, Indiana Tech hit a jumper behind the arc to hold a 33-29 lead with 3:52 on the clock. Russell played through a foul to hit a layup and complete the and-one to cut the deficit to 33-32. The teams traded layups before the Warriors hit another three to build a 38-34 lead with 2:37 left. The Saints would then rattled off eight-straight points to end the half with a four-point cushion.
3rd: Ind. Tech 63, SHU 55
Indiana Tech made two free throws and a layup to tie the score at 42 in the opening 1:01 of the second half. Peyton Banks (Wadsworth, Ohio) hit a three to give Siena Heights the lead only to have the Warriors rally with four-straight points to hold a 46-45 edge with 7:56 left in the third quarter. The score would be tied again at 51 with 4:09 left but a 7-0 run by Indiana Tech would put the score at 58-51 in favor of the home team with 2:30 left. The Saints would score four additional points while the Warriors netted five before the end of the quarter.
4th: Ind. Tech 84, SHU 70
Siena cut the deficit to seven points (66-59) in the opening two minutes of the fourth quarter but would fail to catch the Warriors before the end of regulation. A three-point jumper by Indiana Tech would give the game its first double-digit lead, 71-59, with 7:51 left. The Warriors would build a 15-point lead with 2:39 left in the game and would hold on for the 14-point victory as time expired.
TOP SAINTS
• Russell shot 9-17 from the floor and hauled in nine rebounds, one assist, and two blocks.
• Banks finished with a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double.
• Votava scored 11 points and pulling down two boards and dishing two assists.
• Kelsey Wyman (Blissfield, Mich.) scored 10 points and added four rebounds and a steal to her stat line.
• Anaya Powell (Grand Rapids, Mich.) led the Saints with six assists. She also scored six points and three rebounds.
THE OPPOSITION
• Kauffman led the Warriors with 32 points, six rebounds, two blocks, and two steals.
• Wolfe scored 19 while adding three rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
• Whitaker and Bell each finished with 11 points. Bell had seven rebounds and Whitaker had two.
UP NEXT
Siena Heights returns home to host Madonna in a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) matchup on Wednesday, January 29. The game is set to tip at 6:00 p.m., EST.
