An 11-day layoff and a bus that got stuck in a snowy West Virginia ditch wasn't enough to prevent the Hillsdale College women's basketball team from picking up its seventh win of the season Saturday afternoon.
A well-executed offensive game plan resulted in an 89-53 win for the Chargers over the Battlers in Philippi, West Virginia. The win makes Hillsdale 7-5 overall and 5-3 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
Right from the opening jump, Hillsdale hardly looked like a team that hadn't played since Dec. 19, as the team moved the ball well, found open space and got strong scoring games from several players in a contest that saw the Chargers outscore the Battlers in each of the game's four quarters.
Junior guard Allie Dewire set the tone early, using her quickness to register three layups in the game's first three possessions, and Hillsdale was off and running from there. The team's 50 first-half points were a season-high, and the Chargers did an excellent job of staying focused throughout, despite gradually growing its lead through the entire game.
The Chargers shot 65 percent from the field in the first half and held A-B to no made 3-point baskets in the first half. Hillsdale's halftime edge was 50-28, and it was a lead that was never challenged the rest of the way.
Junior forward Brittany Gray was locked-in on offense again, leading the team with 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the field. She added 5 rebounds and 2 assists in just 23 minutes of efficient work in the game. Dewire and senior center Allie Dittmer each contributed 12 points, while sophomore center Julia Wacker set season-highs with 11 points and 8 rebounds. Sophomore Syndey Anderson had 9 points and swished a pair of 3-point shots in the win.
Hillsdale outrebounded Alderson Broaddus 48-27 while shooting 20 percent better from the field (52-32) in the victory. This was the first-ever G-MAC meeting between these programs.