Two Double-Doubles Fuel Bulldog Home Win

Postgame Audio: Tracey Dorow, Tiara Adams & Tricia Principe
(MP3 Version) - (Windows Media File)

Big Rapids, Mich. - A pair of double-double efforts fueled the Ferris State University women's basketball team past Hillsdale by a 69-60 count on Thursday (Feb. 4) evening in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) play at Wink Arena.

Junior forward Tiara Adams tallied a team-high 19 points and 17 rebounds while sophomore guard Tricia Principe chipped in with 17 points along with 12 boards as the Bulldogs snapped a five-game losing streak and beat the GLIAC South Division's second place team during their annual "Pink Wave Night" encounter in support of breast cancer awareness.

"I'm very happy with our performance tonight," said FSU head coach Tracey Dorow.  "We did a great job of defending the penetration and rebounding the ball."

After Hillsdale took an early four-point lead only 1:14 into the contest, the Bulldogs bounced back to grab a 29-20 halftime advantage.  The lead stood up the rest of the way as both teams netted 40 points in the final half.  Ferris increased its lead to as many as 15 points with 3:44 left before the Chargers cut the final deficit down to single digits in the closing minutes.

FSU shot only 37.7% (20-53) from the field in the game, but the Bulldogs owned a dominating 49-33 rebounding edge and sank 22-of-27 (81.5%) free throws. Principe, who entered the contest leading the nation in free throw percentage (.919) this campaign, converted all eight of her tries at the stripe.

Defensively, Ferris State also limited the Chargers to only a 31.9% (22-69) shooting figure.  Hillsdale was 10-of-31 (32.3%) beyond the three-point arc and six-of-eight (75%) at the line while  FSU made seven of 15 (46.7%) long range tries.

Chelsea Harrison kept the Chargers in the game for much of the way with a game-high 24 points.  Lea Jones added 12 points for Hillsdale.

Meanwhile, sophomore guard Kelsey DeNoyelles contributed 10 points for the Bulldogs with freshman guard Kylie Muntz scoring nine points and junior guard Becci Houdek adding six points with five assists.

The Bulldogs turned the ball over 19 times in the contest compared to only 11 for Hillsdale.  However, FSU managed 16 assists and seven steals while the Chargers netted only 14 assists and five thefts.

"Our intensity level and agreesivness were totally different than it was when we played at their place earlier this year," Principe said.

FSU held a 17-14 margin in second chance scoring behind 16 offensive boards with Adams grabbing eight of them on her own.

"We were aggressive on the boards and everyone boxed out well," said Adams.

The Bulldogs improved to 6-14 overall and 5-10 in conference play by virtue of the victory.  Hillsdale fell to 9-10 overall and 9-6 in the GLIAC.

Ferris State wraps up its four-game league homestand by hosting Findlay on Saturday, Feb. 6, with tipoff set for 12 p.m. (EST) inside Wink Arena.  Tickets will be available at the door starting one hour before game time.

Saturday's contest will feature a special halftime performance as part of the local Festival of the Arts event and it will also be "Community Health Day" with a variety of free screenings and informational tables to be held in the main concourse.