HAMBURG, N.Y. - A balanced effort, with contributions from the senior down to freshmen and everyone in-between, led to a Hilbert College 75-61 win over Penn State DuBois. Senior Natalie Whitman led the way with 10 points and 16 rebounds, while freshman Hailey Oakes chipped in 12 points and five boards. Hilbert improved to 1-2 and dropped DuBois to 0-2 after the non-conference game.

Both teams started off stagnant and weren't able to create anything offensively. DuBois' two three zone gave Hilbert perimeter shots early which didn't fall. But a wholesale change by Coach Rob Peterson gave the Hawks a spark, led by Oakes' 10 points in a mere six minutes.

The Hawks picked up their defensive intensity and caused the Lions to turn the ball over 15 times in the first half, giving Hilbert eight steals by the break.

Despite the momentum shift, neither team was able to find their shooting rhythm as Hilbert shot 28.3% from the field and Dubois 24.2% (despite hitting 4-7 from the arc). The Hawks led 37-24 at the break.

A rejuvenated Hilbert team emerged from the locker room and extended their 13-point led to thirty points (59-29) in less than nine minutes. The 22-4 Hilbert spurt was capped by Wyann Jackson's three-point shot at 11:51.

Sophomore Courtney Coots helped the Hawks maintain their twenty-point lead much of the second half with two buckets in the paint before she knocked down a three-ball at 5:37.

But the game wasn't over though as the Lions went on a 19-4 run cutting deficit to 14 before the final horn sounded.

Each team finished with 62 rebounds; Hilbert grabbed 30 offensive (Whitman picked 10) and DuBois secured 25. All 17 Hawks saw court time and 16 players earned at least one tally on the stat-sheet.

Sophomore forward Courtney Coots chipped in 11 points and six rebounds while Natalie Whitman's 16 rebounds led the crew on the court especially her 10 offensive ones.

The guard position played solid with sophomore Kylie Reinholz contributing 10 points and three assists as well as junior Amber Hay swiping four steals and passing for three assists. Sophomores Lauren Eggleston supplied six rebounds and two steals and Wyann Jackson added seven points and four rebounds.

Patience McCullough and Chelsea Szakal both finished with double-doubles for the Lions (11 points, 10 rebounds and 14 points, 11 rebounds respectively).


The Hawks travel to SUNY Fredonia this weekend for another non-conference game November 23 at 4pm. You can watch the game live (steaming video, live-stats).