Site: Fort Wayne, Ind. (Schafer Center)
Score: Madonna University 64, Indiana Tech 56
Records: MU 5-11 (1-3 WHAC); IIT 8-12 (1-3 WHAC)
Next MU event: Wednesday January 20 vs. Cornerstone (Activities Center)

BOX SCORE

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - -Freshman Shantelle Herring (Macomb, Mich.) put up a new career-high for the second straight game and the Madonna University women's basketball team got a near double-double from fellow freshman Kaylee McGrath (Livonia, Mich.) as the Crusaders posted their first Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference win of the season after a 64-56 win at Indiana Tech on Saturday (Jan. 16) inside the Schafer Center.

Herring posted a career-best 24 points to go along with four rebounds and six steals while McGrath scored 17 and pulled in eight boards. Sophomore Heather Goodwin (Temperance, Mich.) led MU on the glass, grabbing 10 rebounds. Yasmine Coleman led Tech with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

MU opened the game with seven unanswered points and held that 7-0 lead just 3:10 into the game. The Crusaders maintained their lead but the Warriors trimmed the cushion to just one with 5:23 left in the half on a Coleman jumper. Madonna quickly responded with an 8-0 run to go back up by eight. McGrath started the run with a jumper before junior Tabatha Wydryck (Wyandotte, Mich.) knocked down a pair of free throws and Herring capped it with one of her three triples of the day to make it a 26-18 MU lead.

Tech was able to get back to with in three late in the half but Herring converted two free throws to put MU on top 28-23 at halftime.

McGrath put MU up seven on a jumper in the lane to make it a 30-23 game less than a minute into the second half. Tech went on a 5-0 run to get back to with in two at 30-28.

The two teams traded scores and Tech trimmed the MU lead to two on three occasions but every time the Warriors got to with in a single score, the Crusaders answered back. Junior Katie Mount (Waterford, Mich.) nailed a three to put MU up five at 41-36 and Herring hit a jumper in the lane to put MU up by seven and another Herring three put MU back up by 10 at 46-36 with 10:37 left in the game.

MU pushed its lead out to as many as 14 before Tech climbed back into the game and whittled the deficit back down to single digits, getting as close as five with 42 seconds left but Herring hit a free throw and knocked down a jumper in the lane to seal the game up and give MU its first WHAC win of the season.

The Crusaders return to the court on Wednesday night (Jan. 20), hosting Cornerstone as the front end of a double header with the MU men's team. Game time is set for 5:30pm inside the Activities Center and the Crusader Radio Network will carry the game live.

QUOTES
Head Coach Carl Graves
"(Shantelle) Herring and (Kaylee) McGrath are both playing like veterans and our team really needed to have some success. Herring's steals and production was so much fun to watch today. There is such a great effort from the entire team. Everyone is finding a role and we are taking positive strides. This team will continue to get better and the coaches are excited for them."

Contact: Patrick Moore (734) 432-5834