Women Complete Non-Conference Schedule With Home Win

Friday, January 2

Hanover, N.H.

2:00 PM

Dartmouth College

9-5

OAKLAND

6-7

Oakland

Dartmouth

Women Complete Non-Conference Schedule With Home Win

1/2/2015 4:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. — Sophomore Fanni Szabo led all scorers with 21 points as the Dartmouth women's basketball team completed its 14-game non-conference schedule with a 59-54 victory over Oakland on Friday afternoon at Leede Arena.

"We are growing as a team every day," head coach Belle Koclanes said. "We are getting good looks on the offensive side, but not getting the second-chances. This is something we are looking to grow upon heading into Ivy League play. There was a lot of adapting today and as we grow together will we get better."

The win pushes Dartmouth's winning streak to four heading into Ivy League play on Jan. 10 at Harvard. The last time Dartmouth had a pair of four-game winning streaks was during the 2008-09 season, when they made their last NCAA Tournament appearance.

"We are excited to get into January as we played a lot of games in the month of December," Koclanes commented. "This team is very game happy team. We didn't have much time to practice as we played nine games in 33 days. This month it's five games in 31 days. We are back in training camp mode."

The Big Green shot 38 percent overall from the floor and while they only made two from the outside, the Green and White went 11-of-15 from the line.

Junior Lakin Roland added 13 points and had eight rebounds and six other players netted single-digit points in the win. Dartmouth picked up 17 points off turnovers and had 28 points in the paint.

Dartmouth raced out to a 9-0 lead after four and a half minutes before the Golden Grizzlies hit a jumper by Elena Popkey. The Big Green increased their lead to double digits at 13:33 with a triple by Roland to take a 17-7 advantage.

The hosts kept the double figure lead until the final minute of the half when Popkey scored eight consecutive points heading into the locker room. Dartmouth led 29-25 after 20 minutes and shot 37 percent from the field but was outrebounded 28-23.

Oakland (6-7) battled back from a poor shooting performance to open the contest and finished a 23 percent while picking up 12 offensive boards. Popkey's 10 points led the Golden Grizzles, but Roland's 11 points for Dartmouth was a key to the early lead.

Looking to run a quick offense, the Dartmouth defense held the Golden Grizzlies in check and forced 10 turnovers, which allowed for 12 points. In the defensive paint, senior Tia Dawson had three blocks and four rebounds.

After Elena Popkey finished the first half with eight consecutive points, the Oakland guard nailed her third consecutive three-pointer to cut the deficit to a single point, 29-28. From there, Dartmouth regained a seven-point cushion on a jumper by Szabo with 17:07 left to make it 37-30.

Oakland pressured the Big Green for the majority of the half and kept the game to within at least three possessions. With 9:03 remaining in the game, Popkey tied the game for the first time with a layup, but Toskovic quickly put Dartmouth ahead once again on the play with a free throw.

After Toskovic's free throw, the Big Green rattled off five more points to take a six-point lead, 55-49, with 6:15 left on a jumper by Szabo. Oakland responded with four points in six seconds to drop the deficit to one, 55-54, at 5:01. The Big Green defense held Oakland scoreless for the final five minutes of play and scored just four points as well.

Popkey led the Golden Grizzlies with 20 points and nine rebounds. Olivia Nash has 12 points and 13 rebounds and Nola Anderson scored 11 points, but shot 29 percent overall and struggled from the free throw line connecting on just 6-of-17.

The Golden Grizzlies open up Horizon League play on Jan. 10 at 11:30 a.m. against Milwaukee.