GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Meghan Herrick scored a game-high 25 points to lift the fifth-ranked University of Chicago women's basketball team to a 76-62 win over #25 Hanover College in the opening round of the 2011 NCAA Division III tournament Friday night at Calvin College.

Herrick tallied 19 points in the first half as Chicago (23-3) built a 44-27 advantage at the intermission. Her jumper at the 11:45 mark gave the Maroons their first double-digit lead of the night, 18-8.

Joann Torres' basket capped a 13-2 Chicago run to start the second half, putting the Maroons on top 57-29 with 13:06 to play.

The Maroons took their largest lead of the evening, 63-33, on a pair of free throws from Morgan Herrick at the 8:25 mark. She finished the night with 13 points.

Chicago held a 22-point advantage with three minutes to go before Hanover scored 10 of the game's final 12 points.

Meghan Herrick's 25 points were the most scored by a Chicago player in NCAA postseason play. She connected on 10 of 14 attempts from the field, including two of three from 3-point range, and was 3-for-4 from the foul line.

The victory extended the Maroons' winning streak to 19 games and gave them a school record 23 wins on the season.

Taylor Simpson finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds for her 12th double-double of the year.

Chicago held the Panthers to 26.1% shooting from the field, including a 19.4% clip in the first stanza.

Molly Martin paced Hanover with 24 points, while Torin Franz added 11.

Chicago will face Calvin in second round play Saturday night at 7 p.m. (ET). The Knights defeated LaRoche College 73-37 in Friday's second contest.