Deno Pours in 26 in Purdue Northwest loss to Siena Heights
Cassidy Deno netted her sixth 20-plus point performance, but the No. 13 Purdue University Northwest women’s basketball team couldn’t overcome an early deficit in Sunday’s 82-70 loss at Siena Heights (Mich).
Deno (Otterbein, Ind./Benton Central) poured in 26 points and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line in the loss, which saw the host Saints (4-4) take a 22-14 lead after one quarter and a 42-33 advantage at the break.
That proved to be the difference in the contest, as Siena Heights held off any PNW charge in the third quarter that saw the Pride (7-3) get as close as seven, 46-39, on a Deno jumper in the third quarter.
Siena Heights would answer on an April Watson layup – she would finish the game with 27 points and was named the Thanksgiving Classic’s most valuable player – and lead by as many as 18, 82-64, with 2:17 to play.
PNW senior Darien Thompson (Anderson, Ind./Anderson) added 13 points and six rebounds and classmate Katie Wampler (Scottsburg, Ind./Scottsburg) had 10 points and six boards to round out the Pride leaders.
Deno and Thompson were both named to the all-tournament team after leading PNW to a 64-57 win over Keiser (Fla.) Saturday.
PNW struggled from the floor, shooting just 26.7 percent (16-of-60) compared to 57.9 percent (33-of-57) for the Saints, who outscored the Pride in the paint, 40-14, and outrebounded PNW 39-29.
The Pride did make the most of its trips to the charity stripe, draining 34-of-36 (94.4 percent) compared to Siena Heights’ 6-of-11 (54.5 percent) performance.
Purdue Northwest returns to Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play Wednesday, Nov. 30, when the Pride host Indiana South Bend in a doubleheader with the men’s teams beginning at 5 p.m. at the James. B. Dworkin Center in Westville, Ind.
Women's Hoops Defeats Keiser University, 64-57 The Purdue University Northwest women’s basketball team picked up a 64-57 victory over non-conference opponent Keiser University Saturday afternoon.
The Pride (7-2) defeated the Seahawks (5-3) in the first day of the Siena Heights Thanksgiving Classis before facing the host Saints tomorrow afternoon.
Senior guard Darien Thompson (Anderson, Ind./Anderson) led the Pride scorers with 20 points and bringing down four rebounds while Cassidy Deno (Otterbein, Ind./Benton Central) notched a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Katie Wampler (Scottsburg, Ind./Scottsburg) chipped in with nine points and eight rebounds while Junior Ellie Michalski (Mukwonago, WIs./Mukwonago) recorded eight points and nine rebounds to round out the leaders for the Black and Gold.
The Pride started the game off strong, taking a 13-6 lead late in the first quarter, before taking a 21-11 advantage heading in to the second period.
Both teams would put up single-digit point totals in the second quarter, with the Pride taking a 25-20 lead heading in to half.
The Seahwaks would battle back late in the third quarter to cut in to the Pride’s lead, with PNW having a 35-33 lead with just one period remaining.
Keiser would even the score at 37 points apiece, but the Pride would fight back thanks to a 10-0 run led by Deno, who scored eight points in under two minutes to put the Black and Gold ahead 47-37.
PNW would stop any comeback runs from Keiser and pick up the 64-57 victory over the Seahawks.
Purdue Northwest will face off with Siena Heights at 2 p.m. (CT) Sunday afternoon in the final day of the Thanksgiving Classic.
Purdue Northwest's Deno Named CCAC Player of the Week Purdue University Northwest senior Cassidy Deno notched her first Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week honor of the season after two stellar performances last week.
Deno (Otterbein, Ind./Benton Central) averaged 28.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in the Pride’s two victories over Calumet St Joseph (Nov. 16) and No. 18 St. Ambrose (Nov. 19).
She poured in a season-high 29 points to go along with six assists in a win over CCSJ, then followed up that performance with 27 points and 11 rebounds in a win at #18 St. Ambrose.
For the two games, Deno shot a blistering 58.1 percent from the field and 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from 3-point land.
The conference honor marks the first this season for Deno and the fourth of her career.
Purdue Northwest is coming off a 116-106 victory over No. 16 Olivet Nazarene Nov. 22. The No. 13 Pride (6-2, 3-0 CCAC) return to action this weekend at the Siena Heights (Mich.) Thanksgiving Classic Saturday and Sunday. PNW takes on Keiser (Fla.) Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.
Torrance Johnson Nets 34 in 87-84 win over Olivet Nazarene The Purdue University Northwest men’s basketball team picked up a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference victory Tuesday night, defeating Olivet Nazarene 87-84.
The Pride (2-5, 1-2 CCAC) took down the Tigers (1-6, 0-3 CCAC) at the Fitness and Recreation Center for PNW’s first CCAC win of the season.
Junior Torrance Johnson (Chicago Heights, Ill./Chicago Hope Academy) had a huge night in the paint for the Black and Gold, picking up a career-high 34 points with 14 rebounds with two assists and two steals.
Chandler Spring (Covington, Ind./Covington) recorded 18 points, including four three point field goals, all in the first half, while Shereff Knight (Michigan City, Ind./Michigan City) chipped in with 16 points and four assists.
PNW would take a 13-10 lead to start things off in the opening half, and extend their lead to nine points, 31-22, thanks to a trifecta from Spring.
The Pride would hold on to their lead for the remainder of the half, taking a 40-32 lead heading in to the locker room.
The Tigers would put themselves within three points, 48-45, but the Black and Gold extend their advantage to double-digits, after a Johnson layup put the Pride ahead 65-52.
Olivet Nazarene would attempt to make a comeback in the final minutes of the contest, cutting their deficit to one, 84-83 with 18 seconds remaining in the game.
After both teams connected on one free throw apiece, Torrance Johnson would knock down a pair of free throws which helped secure the win for the Black and Gold.
The Pride won the battle on the boards, outrebounding the Tigers 40-26, while shooting 56.4 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Purdue Northwest will return to action Wednesday, Nov. 30, when they host IU South Bend at the Student Services and Activities Complex in Westville, Ind. at 7 p.m. (CT).
#13 Purdue Northwest Outlasts #16 Olivet Nazarene, 116-106 After withstanding an early charge, the No. 13 Purdue University Northwest women’s basketball team regrouped in the second half to overcome No. 16 Olivet Nazarene’s run-and-gun style of play in a 116-106 conference victory Tuesday.
The Pride (6-2, 3-0 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference) remained unbeaten in league play with the win at the Fitness and Recreation Center, led by five players in double figures.
Junior post Ellie Michalski (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) had a career day, recording bests in points (29), rebounds (18) and shooting a blistering 14-of-16 from the field. She added four blocks, two steals and two assists. Senior teammate Darien Thompson (Anderson, Ind./Anderson) was just three points shy of her career high, recording 29 points on 11-of-20 from the field to go along with seven boards, seven assists, and three steals.
Freshman Shae Rhonehouse (Fremont, Ind./Fremont) notched a career-high in scoring of her own, totaling 25 points on 12-of-24 from the field, adding nine rebounds and four assists, and senior Cassidy Deno (Otterbein, Ind./Benton Central) was two assists shy of a triple-double, scoring 13 points with 12 rebounds and eight assists.
PNW senior Katie Wampler (Scottsburg, Ind./Scottsburg) rounded out Pride players in double-figures, scoring 15 points on 7-of-13 from the field with five boards and four assists.
PNW led by one, 25-24, at the end of the first quarter, but the Tigers’ (5-2, 1-2) five-in, five-out Grinnell style of play began to wear on the Pride, as ONU would drain 11 3-pointers in the first half to take a 56-50 lead heading onto the locker room. But that shooting from outside wouldn’t last in the third quarter, as PNW stormed out of the break on a 16-1 run, led by Rhonehouse, Michalski, and Thompson.
PNW would outscore the Tigers 32-22 in the third quarter and hold them off down the stretch with a 34-28 advantage in the final frame.
Rhonehouse scored 17 of her 25 in the second half, shooting 8-of-16 from the field whole collecting all nine rebounds in the final 20 minutes.
PNW shot 53.8 percent (50-of-93) from the field and just 2-of-10 (20 percent) from the 3-point line, compared to 40.8 percent (42-of-103) for ONU, who fired 51 3’s making 19 (37.3 percent).
The Pride owned the boards, 64-44, and scored 90 points in the paint compared to 44 for ONU.
Ashley Freeman scored 24 points and Jess Learned added 20 to lead the Tigers in the setback, which snapped a three-game winning streak over PNW.
Purdue Northwest returns to action this weekend with Saturday and Sunday’s Siena Heights Thanksgiving Classic in Adrian, Mich. PNW opens play with a 2 p.m. CT matchup against Keiser (Fla.) Saturday.
