ROSEMONT, Ill. (Interstat) — The DePaul women’s basketball team used a decisive second-quarter surge to defeat Massachusetts-Lowell 78-48 on Thursday night at Allstate Arena. The Blue Demons, who led 15-9 after the first quarter, broke the game open by outscoring the River Hawks 24-12 in the second period. DePaul extended its lead with a 29-point third quarter. Jaini Edmonds led all scorers with 20 points for Massachusetts-Lowell. DePaul’s Michelle Ojo matched that with 20 points, while Kate Novik added 12 points and 10 assists. The Blue Demons capitalized on turnovers, scoring 32 points off them, and dominated inside with 48 points in the paint. DePaul improved to 3-8. Massachusetts-Lowell fell to 4-6.

ROSEMONT, Ill. (Interstat) — DePaul used a dominant second quarter and a balanced offensive attack to pull away from Massachusetts-Lowell for a 78-48 victory in nonconference women’s basketball action Thursday night at Allstate Arena. The Blue Demons, who entered the game with just two wins, improved to 3-8 on the season, while the River Hawks fell to 4-6. The game’s decisive stretch came in the second period. After a competitive first quarter that ended with DePaul leading 15-9, the Blue Demons erupted for a 24-point second quarter, outscoring the River Hawks by 12 to take a commanding 39-21 lead into halftime. DePaul’s defense fueled the run, forcing 10 first-half turnovers and converting them into 18 points. The Blue Demons also established a significant presence inside, outscoring UMass Lowell 26-8 in the paint during the first half. DePaul’s offensive execution continued after the break, as the home team poured in 29 points in the third quarter to extend its lead to 68-36, effectively putting the game out of reach. The River Hawks showed resilience in the fourth, winning the final period 12-10, but the deficit was too large to overcome. The Blue Demons were led by a standout performance from Kate Novik of Grodno, Belarus. The 6-foot guard orchestrated the offense with a double-double, scoring 12 points and dishing out 10 assists while adding two blocks. Michelle Ojo of Virginia Beach, Virginia, provided efficient scoring off the bench, matching the game-high with 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting in just 22 minutes of play. Natiah Nelson of Perrysburg, Ohio, was a force in the paint for DePaul, contributing 14 points and a game-high five offensive rebounds. Meg Newman of Indianapolis added 10 points and seven rebounds, while Ally Timm of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, chipped in nine points, all from beyond the arc. For Massachusetts-Lowell, the offense ran primarily through Jaini Edmonds. The junior guard from Worcester, Massachusetts, shouldered the scoring load, finishing with 20 points, four assists, and two blocks in 34 minutes. No other River Hawk reached double figures, with Anabel Latorre Ciria of Zaragoza, Spain, the next highest scorer with six points. DePaul’s defense was the story, as they harassed UMass Lowell into 22 turnovers, converting those miscues into 32 points. The Blue Demons also dominated the interior, finishing with a 48-26 advantage in points in the paint and a 44-33 edge in total rebounds. The game drew an announced crowd of 839 to Allstate Arena. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, DePaul entered the contest with a 97.5 percent probability to win. The victory provides a positive momentum shift for DePaul, which had lost eight of its last nine games, including a 102-35 defeat at No. 1 Connecticut on Sunday. The Blue Demons will look to build on the win when they host Michigan State on Sunday. Massachusetts-Lowell, which had won two of its last three, continues its challenging nonconference slate. The River Hawks return home to face Long Island on Sunday.

ROSEMONT, Ill. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum will meet Thursday when the Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks visit the DePaul Blue Demons in a nonconference women’s basketball game at Allstate Arena. The River Hawks (4-5) enter having split their last four contests, most recently a 60-43 road win at New Haven on Saturday. Guard Sabrina Larsson led the way with 22 points in that victory, highlighting a stretch where she has been her team’s most consistent offensive threat. Over her last six games, the sophomore has averaged 10.8 points, including a 19-point, 7-rebound performance in a narrow loss to Boston University. DePaul (2-8) is mired in a difficult stretch, having lost five straight games. The Blue Demons are coming off a 102-35 defeat at Connecticut on Sunday, a game where they struggled offensively. Guard Devin Hagemann, a key facilitator, will look to spark the lineup. She dished out seven assists in a win over Grambling last month but has found scoring difficult against high-major competition. While both teams have faced defensive challenges, the River Hawks have shown an ability to grind out lower-scoring games, holding three opponents under 55 points this season. DePaul, under first-year coach, is still searching for its defensive identity, having allowed an average of 77.5 points during its current losing skid. The matchup presents a critical opportunity for each squad to gain confidence before their respective conference schedules intensify. Massachusetts-Lowell begins America East play in January, while DePaul opens Big East competition on Dec. 20. Thursday’s contest will be the first-ever meeting between the programs. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST.