#25 Blue Demons Topple Mountaineers

CHICAGO- DePaul’s Natasha Williams is recovering from a strained left knee. Leading scorer Deirdre Naughton is out sick. Sam Quigley and the bench are just fine.

Quigley scored all 17 of her points in the second half and DePaul’s bench outscored the Mountaineers’ bench 17-1 to help lead the #25 Demons (17-5, 5-3) to a 74-56 win over West Virginia (12-8,1-6) at McGrath Arena Saturday night.

DePaul clearly missed Naughton early on as the team struggled to keep pace with WVU. It was forward Felicia Chester who kept DePaul close, scoring all eight points for the Demons as they trailed the Mountaineers 11-8 with 11:48 left in the first half.

“We knew (West Virginia) was undersized in the post,” Chester said. “In pre-game we talked about going inside and things worked out for us. You have to do what you can for the team. You can’t make excuses just because your teammates are hurt.”

“Felicia has been a trooper all year long,“ DePaul head coach Doug Bruno said. “She has been a service-oriented defensive force in the middle and now with Natasha out (for the last game), she understands she needs to step it up a little bit offensively, and she has done that over the last few games.

DePaul’s bench then got active. A three-pointer by freshman Danielle Havel, a three-pointer by senior Erin Cattell, and two free throws by senior Holly Medley helped push the Demons to a 32-25 lead at the half.

“Coach always says that when your name gets called you better be ready to play,” Cattell said. “I am thinking and watching the game making sure I know who I am going in for and what I am doing, and I just have to stay ready mentally.”

“We have been writing down before every game that one of the most important keys to success every game is the bench, the bench, the bench. Erin (Cattell), Holly Medley, Danielle Havel, Deanna Ortiz, and China (Threatt) moving up into a starting position was just huge tonight, “Bruno said.

The second half belonged to Quigley.

Leading 44-42 with 12:23 to play, Quigley converted a three-point play, nailed a three-pointer, and then assisted on a lay up by Natasha Williams to put the Demons up 52-45.

Chester and Williams finished with 14 points each. Cattell added seven points and six rebounds. Medley added seven points and Threatt scored eight.

WVU was led by Liz Repella’s 19 points.

Tonight’s “Think Pink” game, in honor of the women’s breast cancer prevention program started by the late legendary North Carolina State head coach Kay Yow, drew a near-sellout crowd.

DePaul next tangles with Georgetown this Wednesday at home.