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Inside and Outside, Women's Hoops Gets it Done in 94-66 Win Over Duquesne
November 15, 2015 | Women's Basketball
Box Score
PRINCETON, N.J. (11/15/15) – Four seniors were in double digits in scoring as No. 25 Princeton improved to 2-0 on the young season with a resounding 94-66 win over Duquesne on Sunday afternoon at Jadwin Gym.
Michelle Miller led the Tigers with 24 points and added five rebounds and four assists. Annie Tarakchian was the leader on the glass with 10 rebounds, while scoring 19 points and two steals. Alex Wheatley was in double figures with 16 points, dished off a team-best five assists and seven boards; while Taylor Williams pulled down seven boards and chipped in 11 points.
“I think we came out really dialed in and with good intensity, really on both ends of the floor,” Miller said. “Our defense was pretty dialed in. Duquesne did make some shots, but they are a pretty good shooting team and I thought we were contesting things well. I think our offense fed off of our defense and we really had it going on both ends of the floor.”
Princeton took a 6-2 lead to start the game before forward Wheatley went on a personal tear scoring the Tigers' next 11 points to give her team a 17-6 edge. A Kenya Holland three and a pair of free throws from Miller gave Princeton its largest lead of the first quarter, 22-6 with 2:13 remaining. Duquesne closed the quarter on an 8-5 run with Princeton taking a 27-14 edge into the second quarter.
After Wheatley's big first quarter - 11 points- it was Miller that took over in the second.
Two straight three's for Miller kick started the second as Princeton continued to expand its lead. The Tigers forced the Dukes into six turnovers and brought the half to an end on an 11-0 run that gave them a 31-18 lead into the break. Miller's hot hand left her with 13 second-half points on 5 for 7 shooting.
“Wheatley we want to be aggressive. And we want her to be a dominant presence inside and I think she established herself early and that helps me get such good inside-out looks, some easier shots,” Miller said.
Duquesne outscored Princeton 19-13 in the third quarter to decrease its deficit to 11 points, but Princeton's solid lead in the first half still kept them in control with a 20-point edge, 71-51 after 30 minutes.
The Tigers settled back in and continued to push their lead in the fourth, increasing the difference as the clock ticked down.
“When you play an experienced team, much like we are, we're never going to give up –ever ever ever,” Courtney Banghart said. “I thought we got punched in the face a ltitle bit but came back out swinging. The fact that we offensive rebounded 50 percent of our misses shows how committed and hungry we are and I give a lot of credit to our kids.”
Princeton reached the 90-point plateau on a layup by Vanessa Smith with 3:46 to go and a minute later the Tigers took its largest lead of the game at 29 points on a Williams free throw.
Duquesne was led by April Robinson's 19 points and five assists. Kadri-Ann Lass added 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Chaddisy Omogrosso and Paige Cannon had 10 points apiece. The Dukes shot 36.8 percent (25-68) from the field, was 6 for 25 from long range and hit 10 of 15 free throws.
Princeton shot 50.7 percent (35-69) overall and 42.1 percent (8-19) from behind the arc and made 16 of 24 free throws.
The Tigers are now 2-0 on the season and hit the road for the first time on Thursday night when they travel to Seton Hall. The 7 p.m., game will be shown on Fox Sports 2.