FOND DU LAC, Wis. - The Rockford University women's basketball team picked up a thrilling 53-45 road win on Wednesday evening at Marian University. The Regents' win was spearheaded by perhaps their best defensive performance of the year. Rockford held the Sabres to single-digits in multiple quarters, including just four points in the first. The Regents also forced 27 turnovers, while turning it over a season-low 13 times, leading to a critical 17-2 advantage in points off turnovers. Rockford also held Marian to just three made triples, while draining eight three-pointers of its own. The Regents have now won three of the last four meetings in the series.
- Following a slow start to the evening for both teams, Rockford scored seven straight points over a 3:36 span late in the first quarter. Three different Regents found the bottom of the net during that time frame, led by a triple from Lexi Keating to cap off the run and put Rockford out in front 11-3.
- Keating would drain her second straight three early in the second quarter to give Rockford a 14-4 lead, which was the largest for either team at any point in the game.
- However, the Sabres slowly chipped away at the Rockford lead, eventually pulling back to within a single point with 2:30 left in the second quarter.
- Lexi Keating momentarily ended the Sabre surge with her third triple of the half and put her team back up by four. The Sabres connected on a pair of free throws over the final two minutes, but Rockford still entered the half with a 24-22 lead.
- Marian was able to tie the game twice in opening minutes of the third quarter, with the latter coming at the 8:45 mark.
- Fortunately, the Regents scored the next five points off a jumper from Katie Paredes and a three from Kyla Wilkerson, to leap back in front 32-27.
- With Rockford still leading by five late in the period, Marian used a 6-0 run to close the quarter and take its first lead since the opening minutes of the game.
- The Sabres extended the lead to as many as four points with 6:55 left in regulation, before Rockford began to take control.
- The Regents promptly scored nine of the next ten points to retake the lead at 47-43 with 3:22 remaining. Rockford went a blistering 3-of-4 from the field over that span, led by four points from Tyra Clark.
- Marian was able to get back within two, but Rockford scored the final six points, led by three apiece from Audrina Terhune and Lexi Keating, to salt away the 53-45 win.
- Katie Paredes finished with a game-high 14 points on an impressive 7-of-11 shooting performance. She also had 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal.
- Lexi Keating had her best game of the season thus far. She finished with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from three-point range. Keating also added 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 rebounds.
- Audrina Terhune tallied 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal.
