Nicole Coggins (Mesa, Ariz./Corona del sol) scored a career-high 23 points and Shaina Kaiser (Ostrander, Ohio/Buckeye Valley) chipped in 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Denison Big Red remained unbeaten with a 73-61 win over The College of Wooster on Saturday.
Denison, who was playing without starting guard Serafina Nuzzo (Western Springs, Ill./Fenwick) and reserve post Annie-Rae Dura (Westerville, Ohio/Central), were challenged throughout the 40 minutes of play by the Fighting Scots. DU held a 37-27 halftime lead but Wooster trimmed that lead to just four with 9:06 remaining. With momentum starting shift away from the Big Red, Kaiser tossed it back into her team's corner with a 3-point play via a drive to the basket, lifting DU's lead to 53-46. That would spark an 11-3 run by Denison that would secure the team's 16th consecutive victory.
Coggins, who moved to point guard in the absence of Nuzzo, was 8-for-12 from the field and 3-for-4 from 3-point range. She also led the team with six assists in 38 minutes of action. Kaiser, who moved into fourth place on the Denison all-time scoring list in the first half, was 6-for-13 from the field on her way with 14 points. Off the bench, sophomore Kyli Parker (Batavia, Ohio/Summit Country Day) and freshman Jane Windler (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) gave head coach Sara Lee some major minutes. Parker scored 10 points in 23 minutes and Windler scored eight points to go along with seven rebounds and two steals in 19 minutes.
Wooster was led by Samantha Sulzer and Keisha Bulter who combined for 26 points. Butler tallied 12 points and led the Scots with five assists. Sulzer finished with 14 points and had six rebounds.
Denison held a 40-25 advantage on the boards but both teams shot an identical 44 percent from the field.
The Big Red, who are ranked 17th in the latest WBCA Division III coaches poll and 21st in the D3hoops.com poll improve to 16-0 and 5-0 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. They will travel to Wittenberg on Wednesday (Jan. 19) for a 6 p.m. tip-off against the Tigers.