#25 Moravian Rolls Past Centenary, 76-50, to Improve to 10-0

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HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. --- The 25th-ranked Moravian College women's basketball team continued its best start in school history with its tenth win of the 2012-13 season, topping Centenary (N.J.) College, 76-50, Monday afternoon as the Greyhounds had five players score in double figures.

The Greyhounds, 10-0 and ranked 25th in both the D3hoops.com and USA Today Sports/WBCA Top 25 polls, opened the scoring with a put back lay-up and free throw by senior guard Amanda Kreuder on the opening possession for a 3-0 lead but the Cyclones' senior forward Kellie Rose answered with a three-pointer to tie the game.  Centenary, now 2-10 on the season, would take a 7-5 lead on a lay-up from senior forward Heather Russell at the 18:30 mark.

Moravian tied the game at 7-7 when junior guard Katie O'Rourke grabbed a rebound and make the lay-up at 17:16, and another put back by O'Rourke at 14:25 would put the Greyhounds back in front, 9-7.  Junior forward Laura Jordan followed up a miss with a lay-up for a 13-7 lead with 13:08 left in the first half.

Freshman guard Karine Polgar pushed Moravian's lead into double digits at 18-7 with a three-pointer at 11:42.  Rose connected on a jumper for the Cyclones at 10:35 to snap an eight minute scoreless streak for Centenary; however, Jordan answered 12 seconds later to put Moravian ahead 20-9.  Jordan would connect on a three-point play with 7:18 before the intermission to give the Greyhounds a 27-11 advantage.

O'Rourke would bank in a three-point shot at 5:37 to push Moravian's lead to 20 points, 31-11, and the largest lead of the first half would be 25 points at 38-13 with 1:16 before the intermission.  The Greyhounds would head to the locker room with a 40-19 lead. 

The Greyhounds connected on 15-of-40 field goal attempts (37.5 percent), three-of-nine three-pointers and seven-of-ten free throws in the opening 20 minutes of action.  Moravian also had a 28-20 edge in rebounds in the first half, and the Greyhounds committed just eight turnovers while forcing Centenary into 14 turnovers.  The Cyclones struggled shooting the ball, making just eight-of-30 field goal attempts (26.7 percent), one-of-four three-pointers and both of their free throw attempts.

Jordan opened the second half with a lay-up to reach double figures at 11 points for the game, and the Greyhounds scored the first eight points of the second half for a 48-19 advantage on a pair of free throws from sophomore forward Alexis WrightO'Rourke reached double figures in the contest with a lay-up at 15:46 to give Moravian a 50-25 lead.

Kreuder would get into double figures in scoring with a lay-up at 13:44 that put Moravian up 52-29.   Moravian junior guard Alyssa Hann scored her first basket of the season after missing the first nine contests of the year with an injury at the 13:12 mark for a 54-29 advantage. 

Wright would be the fourth Greyhound to reach double figures in the game with a jumper at the 6:30 mark that set the Moravian lead at 66-39.  Polgar would reach double digits for the first time in her collegiate career on a lay-up with 5:15 to play as Moravian lead 68-39. 

Moravian had a hot shooting hand in the second half as the Greyhounds connected on 16-of-35 field goal attempts (45.7 percent), two-of-five three-pointers and both of their free throw attempts in the final 20 minutes of action.  Moravian finished the game with a 51-41 edge in rebounds, and the Greyhounds had 18 turnovers for the game while forcing Centenary into 23 turnovers.  The Cyclones' shooting did improve in the second half as the squad went 13-for-35 (37.1 percent) from the floor and five-for-nine at the foul line.

Jordan led the Greyhounds with a career high 13 points to go with nine rebounds while O'Rourke and Kreuder each had 11 points.  O'Rourke added nine boards and four assists while Kreuder had four rebounds.  Wright and Polgar each had ten points in the victory with Wright grabbing nine rebounds and Polgar adding five boards and three assists.  Junior guard Danielle Brogan tossed in six points with four rebounds and two assists while freshman Steph Peterson added five points and two boards.

Junior guard Klarissa Perry led the Cyclones with 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists while Rose and junior guard Melissa Kukoda each had seven points.  Kokuda added five rebounds and five assists for Centenary while Rose had three boards.  Russell contributed six points and six rebounds. 

Moravian will return to action on Wednesday, January 2nd when the squad hosts the opening day of the 12th Annual Moravian Winter Classic.  The first game of the day features FDU-Florham and Neumann University tipping off at 1:00 p.m. in Johnston Hall followed by the Greyhounds and Valley Forge Christian College at 3:00 p.m.