DePaul Women Fall Short at Marquette

MILWAUKEE- Basketball is obviously a game of points, but also of flow. The DePaul women’s basketball team did not have enough of either Saturday night against Marquette.

Brittany Hrynko scored a career-high 35 points, but DePaul lost to the Golden Eagles 70-66 at the Al McGuire Center.

DePaul (16-6, 5-3 Big East) did not have another player in double figure scoring. That is the first time that has happened since the Blue Demons’ loss to Villanova on January 9, 2013, a game where Anna Martin scored 19 points.

Martin, now having missed her third straight game with a left knee injury, has been greatly missed.

“We have no flow,” DePaul coach Doug Bruno said. “This is not just tonight. Since we lost Anna Martin we have lost fifty percent of our back court. And when that happens, it’s pretty hard to play basketball. We are a program that plays with three guards and we don’t have that right now.”

A three-pointer by the Golden Eagles Brooklyn Pumroy as the shot clock expired gave Marquette a 53-46 lead with 6:58 left to play, but the momentum incurred by her shot seemed to favor the Blue Demons.

A three-point play by Megan Podkowa and one free throw by Hrynko cut Marquette’s lead to 53-50 at the 6:23 mark.

Hrynko’s three-pointer gave DePaul its last lead at 57-56 with 4:36 left.

The Golden Eagles (11-10, 3-5 Big East) then went on an 11-3 run to extend their lead 67-60 at 1:17.

Hrynko’s air ball from behind the arc with forty one seconds left, after attempting 25 shots for the night, was the best indication of the load she carried tonight.

Brooklyn Pumroy made one of two free throws with twelve seconds remaining to give Marquette a 69-66 lead, leaving the door open for DePaul to tie.

Walkon Gena Lenti then entered the game for the Blue Demons and her three-pointer from the right corner with four seconds left hit the rim twice and bounced out.

Hrynko had 17 points at halftime as the teams were tied at 33 at the break.

Marquette scored 27 points off of 18 DePaul turnovers and had 13 steals.

“There are 100 little things that could have taken place tonight outside our offensive flow that could have gotten us three more points,” said Bruno.

Katherine Harry added six points, 12 rebounds, four steals and three blocks for DePaul.

Bruno crystallized where his team is at right now.

“I told our team after the game that we are fighting to play in the NCAA Tournament.”

DePaul next plays Seton Hall at home this Wednesday at 7:00 CST.

Notes:

- Katherine Harry moved into third place all-time for DePaul in rebounding.

- DePaul leads the series 35-22, but Marquette is now 16-10 in games played in Milwaukee.