JANUARY 27 2016

KING'S WOMEN USE BIG SECOND HALF START TO DOWN WILKES 77-47, HOFFMAN BREAKS SCHOOL BLOCKED SHOTS RECORD

WILKES-BARRE --  The King's College women's basketball team exploded for a 22-0 run to start the second half and sophomore center Olivia Hoffman led a solid defensive effort with a school-record 10 blocked shots as the Lady Monarchs posted a 77-47 victory over cross-town rival Wilkes University Wednesday night in Scandlon Gymnasium.

With the win King's improved to 11-7 overall and 4-3 in Freedom Conference play while Wilkes slipped to 3-15 and 0-7 in league play. It also marked King's 33rd win in the last 36 meetings between the teams.

The teams played on even terms through much of the first half. The Lady Monarchs built an early 7-2 lead but Wilkes fought back to take a 10-9 lead with 3:39 left in the first quarter. The Lady Colonels eventually took a 17-14 lead to start the second period. With the game tied 28-28 with 2:05 on the clock, King's closed out the half with a 4-0 spurt to go into the locker room with a 32-28 advantage.

In the third quarter, however, King's came out with an attacking pressure defense and forced six Wilkes turnovers in four minutes of play. King's capitalized offensively and scored the next 22 points over a 5:49 span to build  54-28 lead, capped by back-to-back three-pointers from Kayla Feairheller and Kasey Seitz. Wilkes scored just seven points in the third quarter as King's took a 58-35 lead into the final period.

King's continued to control play and took what was its biggest lead of the game at 69-41 with 4:41 left after two free throws each from Feairheller and Rachael DeTore. After Wilkes closed to within 22 points at the 3:24 mark, King's answered with a 6-0 spurt to push the score to 75-47 with 0:46 to play.

Defensively, King's held Wilkes to 24.0 (18-75) percent shooting and forced 19 Lady Cololnel turnovers. King's set a program record with 15 total blocked shots in the game. Hoffman was dominant defensively in the paint, setting a new school-record with 10 blocked shots, surpassing the previous best of eight blocks set by Heather Medashefski in 1999.

Offensively, King's placed four players in double figures. Feairheller had a team-high with 15 points and three assists off the bench. Tara Zdancewicz followed with 14 points and nine rebounds while Rachael DeTore posted 14 points eight rebounds, and three steals. Jennifer Fabian contributed 13 points while Hoffman finished with a five points, 14 rebounds, and a record 10 blocks. Sara Krupinski chipped in with five points and two assists.

Cately McFadden was Wilkes' lone double-figure scoffer with 15 points and seven rebounds while Cara Basile followed with eight points and two assists. Jamie Campel added six points.

King's out rebounded Wilkes 58-47 and made 24-of-30 from the foul line.

The Lady Monarchs return home on Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. Game against Freedom Conference frontrunner DeSales University in Scandlon Gym.