Women Hold on For 74-61 Win at Cal Poly on Saturday

Friday, November 28

San Luis Obispo, Calif.

8:00 PM

Dartmouth College

3-0

Cal Poly

2-3

Dartmouth

Cal Poly

Women Hold on For 74-61 Win at Cal Poly on Saturday

11/28/2014 10:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Dartmouth

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF. — Junior Lakin Roland set a new career-best with 29 points and finished with her third double-double of the season, as the Dartmouth women's basketball team defeated Cal Poly, 74-61, on Saturday evening at the Mott Athletics Center.

With the win, Dartmouth moves to 3-0 on the season and its best start since the 2005-06 season, when the team began the season 4-0.

“We talked about playing our tempo, our pace, our style and our song. That was the first half,” Head coach Belle Koclanes said. “We had great ball movement, we made great decisions and we got help off to the bench.”

Roland's 29 points and 11 rebounds led the way for the squad. Freshman Amber Mixon added 18 points on 6-of-8 from the floor with five rebounds. The Big Green held its largest lead of the contest early in the second half, 41-18, with 17:24 after a trifecta by Roland.

“Lakin is our rock and she delivered,” Koclanes said. “I have high expectations for Amber. As a former point guard, the relationship between the floor general and the head coach is really important. In the short time, we've been together, Amber and I have gotten close.”

Dartmouth finished the contest shooting 56 percent from the field (25-45). The Green and White impressed on the glass and from the charity stripe, grabbing 38 boards and hitting 19-of-25 from the line.

“Free throws are an extremely important point of emphasis during practice,” Koclanes said. “We had the players work on it during the summer and once we got back together as a group, it was something we kept stressing.”

Cal Poly did make a push in the final frame and went on a 10-0 run after the Big Green took a 25-point advantage. Dartmouth's defense did not allow the Mustangs to cut the deficit to within single digits for more than 30 seconds, when the Lynn Leaupepe's layup made the score, 43-34.

“In the second, Cal Poly made a run and we needed to withstand it,” Koclanes said. “They were quick to the rim and made smart decisions. I am proud of my team or not allowing Cal Poly to take us out of our game.”

The Big Green contained the Cal Poly's attack by regaining a 15-point edge with at the 5:15 mark on a layup by Roland.

In the final five minutes, Dartmouth made 10-of-14 free throws and had a key defensive stop with 2:23 remaining on an attempted three by Ariana Elegado.

Dartmouth opened the contest connecting on its first six field goals and took an 11-5 lead at the first media timeout. Mixon scored five of the first 11 points with a jumper 10 seconds into play and then hit her first collegiate three-pointer a minute in. The Big Green led the entire half and held their largest lead, 29-13, with 1:42 remaining.

In the latter part of the half, senior Tia Dawson, who celebrated her 21st birthday on Saturday, made her return to the court after missing nearly a year.

The Big Green shot 59 percent on 13-of-22 from the floor and hit 3-of-6 from the outside. Mixon added four more points and headed into the locker room with a half-high of nine. The Green and White secured 17 rebounds — all on the defensive end.

Kristen Ale and Elegado led Cal Poly with 18 points each.

Nine members of the Big Green scored in the contest, as the team got contributions with 12 points off the bench. Junior Daisy Jordan added six points and freshman Andi Norman had four points.

Dartmouth will finish out the ShareSLO Holiday Tournament on Sunday at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET against Kent St.