DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Hanover women's basketball team had four players score in double figures, as the Panthers closed out the regular season Saturday afternoon with a 73-56 triumph at Defiance.

Junior Kristin Mills (Cincinnati, Ohio) and senior Avery Chezem (Loogootee, Ind.) combined for 23 points off the bench, as Hanover enjoyed a 36-32 edge in reserve points. Mills tied for the team high with 13 points, 11 of which she scored on a four-for-four shooting performance in the first quarter. Chezem added 11 points, as she and Mills each posted four steals in the contest.

Also logging 13 points for HC was junior Alexis Nall (Mount Vernon, Ind.), who added a team-best 11 rebounds as well. Nall also pitched in three blocks and five steals, as she combined with Mills and Chezem for 13 of the Panthers' 16 swipes. Overall, Defiance had 28 turnovers, as the Panthers turned the giveaways into 26 points.

The fourth player in double figures for HC was junior Katie Hartman (Madison, Ind.), who supplied 11 points. Hartman recorded a team-high five assists and four rebounds as well. Sophomore Savannah Courtney (Lawrenceburg, Ky.) pitched in with eight points to round out the balanced scoring attack for HC.

Hanover got off to a fast start offensively and never looked back Saturday afternoon. The Panthers netted 10 of 13 field goals in the first quarter as a 10-2 mid-quarter scoring spurt lifted the team to a 26-14 edge after 10 minutes of play.

In an evenly played second stanza, the Blue and Red were able to push their advantage to 15 points late after a layup from Chezem. Defiance though knocked in a trey in the closing seconds to pull within 13 points at the break, 38-25. The scoring trio of Hartman, Mills and Nall had a combined 25 first-half points.

Hanover held a double-digit scoring margin the entire second half and an 11-2 run in the third quarter pushed the team's advantage to 20 points, 52-32, with just over 16 minutes remaining in the game. Shooting 7-for-14 in the frame, HC led 59-41 after three quarters of play.

Seven different players would go on to score in the fourth frame for the Panthers, as they cruised to their sixth win in the past seven outings, including an unblemished 5-0 mark in the month of February.

Hanover will begin postseason play at home next Tuesday, Feb. 19, with the opening round of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament. The Panthers are slated for a 7:30 p.m. tip against Bluffton (Ohio).

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@hanover.edu