COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Capital Center was full of fast-paced action between the Quakers of Wilmington College and the host Crusaders on Saturday night. Caroline Taphorn kicked up the most dust after posting a double-double to led CU and when the final horn sounded the Crusaders walked away with a 61-51 victory, improving their overall record to 2-2.

LID ON THE CAN

• Less than 24 hours removed from scoring 77 points and shooting 43.5 percent, the Quakers were unable to replicate that effort. Wilmington was held to just 51 points and shot 26.2 percent as a team from the field.
• Wilmington's best shooting period came in the first when they shot 38.5 percent but was outdone by Capital (6-13, .462). CU held a 17-12 lead after the first.
• Only by virtue of success at the free-throw line were the Quakers able to win the second quarter and take a three-point lead into the locker room. While they shot 9-for-11 from the charity stripe, their struggles continued from all other areas of the court. Capital limited the Quakers to just 4-of-14 from the field and without a 3-pointer made in the second quarter.
• Combined, Wilmington was 1-for-10 from 3-point range in the first half. They only made two 3-point field goals in the second half on 17 attempts.

BURSTING INTO ACTION

• Capital held Wilmington scoreless in the first two minutes of the third quarter. Cap built its largest lead to that point (6) with buckets by Allison Roach and Kaylee Cyphers, in addition to a pair of free throws by Emma Burns. Cap held a 35-29 lead with 8:16 in the third after this short 6-0 run.
• While Capital never lost the lead, Wilmington chipped into it and did not trail by more than three points for the remainder of the third quarter.
• The Crusaders started the fourth on another short burst, scoring the quarter's opening five points to build a seven-point lead, 47-40. With Emma Burns' triple at the 4:50 mark, that lead grew to 10.
• A pair of misses and a pair of turnovers allowed Wilmington to get back to within one possession of Capital with 2:20 remaining and the lead soon slimmed to a single point under the two-minute mark.
• Caroline Taphorn then launched a long inbound pass down the floor and found Burns on the other end. After Burns wrestled the ball away from the defender, she took it in and laid it up for two points to go up 54-51.
• Burns helped close the door on the Quakers with a key defensive rebound and the 3-point dagger with 41 seconds to go to grow the lead to six.
• Facing a quick drive down the floor on the following Wilmington possession, Erika Linder bounced out to contend and block Kennedy Lewis' 3-point shot to quell the comeback attempt.

WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY

• Junior Emma Burns (Westerville, Ohio/St. Francis Desales) tied for the team lead with 15 points, nine of those coming from behind the arc. She also chipped in three assists, two rebounds and one steal.
• Senior Caroline Taphorn also had 15 points but also collected the first double-double of the season by adding 11 rebounds to her line. The Harrison, Ohio native also contributed five assists in her most complete game to date.
• In addition to her key block at the end of the game, sophomore Erika Linder (Prospect, Ohio/Pleasant) also scored eight points in 23 minutes of playing time.
• Capital survived committing 22 turnovers on the night, but also forced Wilmington into 20.
• Sixteen of Wilmington's 51 points came on second-chance efforts. They held an 18-10 offensive rebound advantage but lost the overall rebounding game by three.
• The Binkley twins scored a combined 24 points with 16 coming from Mckayla and eight from Hannah. Mckayla Binkley also had a team-high seven rebounds.

WHAT'S NEXT
The Purple and White will take the week to prepare for what is sure to be yet another knock-down, drag-out matchup with Ohio Athletic Conference foe, Baldwin Wallace University, next weekend. The Crusaders and Yellow Jackets will meet at The Capital Center on Friday, February 12 for a 7 p.m. tipoff and finish the two-game set the following day in Berea. Baldwin Wallace (3-3) comes off of an unsuccessful weekend against John Carroll University following defeats by seven and 23 points in consecutive nights.