ANGOLA, Ind. - The defense for the Trine University women's basketball has come up big all season, and it was no different in their 70-54 conference win over Alma College. The Thunder forced 29 Scots turnovers including picking up 17 steals, including a school record 11 by senior Danielle Senf (Blanchardville, Wis./Pecatonica) as Trine improved to 9-7 on the season and 3-4 in the MIAA.

Junior Sydney Spragg (Reading, Mich./Reading) scored the opening basket of the game on a layup, and from there the Trine defense never allowed the Scots to gain a lead. The two squads would battle it out throughout the first half before Trine would push their lead to eight at 24-16. The Scots would answer right back scoring five unanswered points to pull within three. The Thunder would push their lead to six with just a minute remaining in the half, but the Scots would hit two from long range as Trine led it 29-27 at the half.

It didn't take long for the Thunder to put the pedal to the floor as they came out of the locker room on fire out-scoring the Scots 13-1 in just over three minutes of play leading it 42-28. Alma's defense stepped up, slowing down the Thunder offense to get back into the game trailing by just six points with 11 minutes remaining in the game. Senf connected on four free throws in a 10 second period to get the Thunder back to a double-digit lead that the Scots would be unable to recover from. Trine's lead grew to a game-high 20 points with just over a minute left before the Scots hit a layup and a three in the final minute of play.

Four Trine starters scored in double-digits, led by Spragg who scored a game-high 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Junior Megan Loveberry (Quincy, Mich./Quincy) knocked down 15 points while freshman Sicily Boyce (Ashley, Ind./Prairie Heights) added in 10 points. Senf picked up her first double-double of the season as she scored 12 points to go along with the 11 steals and a game-high five assists. All 12 of Senf's points came at the free throw line as she went 12-of-14 on the afternoon. Junior Haley Killingbeck (Poneto, Ind./Southern Wells) had a team-high five rebounds to go along with eight points.

Trine converted the 29 Alma turnovers into 35 points compared to just 10 points for the Scots on 18 Thunder turnovers. The two sides shot nearly identical from the floor as the Thunder hit 41.9 percent (18-of-43) compared to 41.7 (20-of-48) for the Scots. The different came at the charity stripe as Trine had a season-high in both free throws made and free throws attempted going 29-of-37 on the day. It was the most they have made as a team since hitting 31 against Indiana Tech back on November 29, 2009. Senf's 12 free throws made are the most by a Trine player since she equaled the mark against Hope last season.

The 11 steals by Senf is tied for the fourth most this season in Division III and broke the school record of 10 that she co-owned with former player and Trine Hall of Fame member Jill Reed. Reed originally set the record back on January 31, 1991 against Purdue-Calumet, while Senf tied the record on November 22, 2008 against Ohio Northern. The 17 steals as a team tied a season-high that they also grabbed against Anderson back in November.

Trine will have a tough battle on their hands as they head to 14th ranked Hope College on January 18 for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.