Davenport Escapes with 83-62 Win Over Aquinas
Box Score Box Score | Senior's Audio Interview | Photo Gallery
Grand Rapids, Mich. – Davenport improved to 29-0 overall and 15-0 in the WHAC with one game remaining after they defeated Aquinas College on Wednesday night. Davenport concludes their regular season on Saturday when they travel to No. 15 Cornerstone.
Aquinas hung tough for most of the game but the No. 1 Panthers were too much for the Saints in the end pulling away for a 83-62 win. The four seniors for Davenport, Kristi Boehm (Kent City, Mich.), Kallie Benike (Campbellsport, Wis.), Barb Clayborn (Michigan Center), and Jeannie Closson (Parchment, Mich.), combined for 50 points on senior night.
The Saints came out tough and built an early 10-5 lead. Aquinas extended the lead to seven, their largest lead of the game, 16-9 with 13 minutes remaining in the first half.
Davenport slowly chipped away at the margin until a couple free throws by Julie Janish (Whittemore, Mich.) gave the Panthers their first lead of the game at 22-21 at the 7:29 mark.
After the teams went back and forth for the next few minutes, a three by Karlee Despres (Belmont, Mich.) put the Panthers up 31-30, Davenport wouldn't trail the rest of the game. Carrie Grubius (Kalamazoo, Mich.) hit a three with thirty second left to give Panther their largest lead of the half, 39-34. Aquinas went on to make a late layup to make it 39-36 at the half.
Aquinas cut Davenport's lead to one on a couple of occasions early in the second half but wouldn't get any closer.
Kallie Benike got things started for Davenport, hitting a three to extend the Panthers lead to 57-50 with 12:51 remaining. After a free throw by Aquinas, a jumper by Riana Hensley (Toledo, Ohio), a three by Karli Harris (Fishers, Ind.), and jumper by Kallie Benike gave Davenport a 63-51 lead.
Aquinas made one last push and got as close as 8 with 8:36 remaining before the seniors for Davenport took over.
The Davenport seniors combined to score the last 14 points to preserve the 83-62 win.
Kallie Benike finished with a team high 22 points on 7-11 shooting from the floor and 5-6 from the free throw line. She also finished with a team high 7 assists, tied for the team high with 4 steals, and grabbed 5 rebounds. Jeannie Closson finished with 16 points and 6 rebounds in her final regular season home game. Carrie Grubius also finished in double figures with 10 points.
Senior Kristi Boehm finished with 8 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. Rounding out the senior's is Barb Clayborn who finished with 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Davenport wraps up their regular season on Saturday when they travel to No. 15 Cornerstone.
