DELAWARE, Ohio – The 15th/16th-ranked Ohio Wesleyan University women's basketball team hosted Allegheny at Branch Rickey Arena on Wednesday for some New Year's Eve hoops as part of day two of their annual Hoops for Hope event. The Battling Bishops would lead for 39:06 or 97.8% of the game as they cruised to a 75-60 victory.

The Bishops pick up their 10th win of the season and their ninth in a row as they move to 10-1. Allegheny falls to 4-6.

Maddie Ebbert opened up the scoring with a three-pointer about a minute in to give OWU their first advantage of the game. The Gators stuck around for the first few minutes, even poking ahead 6-5 at the 6:29 mark. However, Allegheny's slim advantage would last all of six seconds as the Red and Black retook the lead at 6:23 with the start of a 10-0 run, never to give it up again. Ebbert tallied 10 points herself in the opening quarter as Ohio Wesleyan entered the first break up 20-16.

The Battling Bishops tacked on 20 more and held the Gators to just 13 in the second quarter. Kendall Dieringer and Macy Miller led the efforts with eight points and six points, both knocking down three field goals in the period. The duo also led OWU on a 13-0 scoring run in the middle of the quarter, leading to a 40-29 advantage at the half.

Ohio Wesleyan's strongest quarter came in the third when they outscored Allegheny 23-13 to take a 21-point 63-42 lead thanks to five each from Nora Johns and Dieringer, as well as four apiece from Alyssa Griner and Miller. In the fourth quarter, the Red and Black came back down to earth a bit as the Gators got six points back, but it was far too little far too late as the Bishops walked away with the 75-60 win.

THE NUMBERS
Macy Miller recorded her ninth double-double, tying her second-highest scoring output of the season with 20 points and adding 11 rebounds with four assists, four blocks, and four steals. She is now within striking distance of joining the 1000-point club in the coming weeks, sitting at 947 career points.

Kendall Dieringer tied her career high once again, making it three-straight games with 14 points. She shot 5-of-8 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range, also having an assist.

Maddie Ebbert totaled 11 points, four rebounds, three steals, and one assist.

Nora Johns scored seven points and tied her career high of six assists alongside one rebound and one steal.

Alyssa Griner and Katie Neuhart tallied six points each. Griner also nabbed four rebounds and one steal while Neurhart secured three boards. Both had two assists.

Mia Guscoff finished with five points, one rebound, and one assist.

Sophia Roush had four points, two assists, and one rebound.

Carly Lehman recorded a career-high six rebounds with two points, two assists, and one block.

All 18 Bishops made an appearance.

UP NEXT
The Battling Bishops will be back at Branch Rickey Arena on Saturday as they pick up NCAC play against Oberlin at 1 p.m.