CHESTER, Pa. – Madison Ireland set the Widener University women's basketball program record for assists and WU turned in one of its best defensive performances of the year as the Pride downed Stevenson 59-36 on Saturday afternoon.
 
GAME NOTES

• Coming into the game with 538 assists during her tenure, Ireland posted eight in the contest, giving her 546, surpassing Ally Ferrucci's mark of 543 from 2011-16.
• Ireland also scored 13 in the game and had five rebounds.
• Erin Phelan led the Blue and Gold with 17 points.
• Kyra Schenk pulled in a career-high 16 rebounds.
• Nicole Barnes was a one-player wrecking crew on defense, coming up with eight steals.
• All nine players who saw the floor for Widener scored.
• The 36 points and 21.0 field goal percentage allowed were season bests for WU.
• It was the second straight game the Pride held the rebounding advantage.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a decent start to the game, that saw Stevenson hit a pair of threes early, Widener turned up the defense, holding the Mustangs without a point from the 6:38 mark of the opening quarter through the end of the frame, while scoring eight of its own, taking a 12-6 lead after 10 minutes. Leading 14-10 with 6:21 left in the second, the Pride went on a 20-2 run the remainder of the half, building a 34-12 lead at intermission.
 
Into the second half, SU began to claw back in as Widener struggled to shoot the ball in the third. The Blue and Gold righted things in the fourth, hitting 7-of-8 shots to seal the victory.
 
UP NEXT
The Pride returns to action on Friday, February 7 when it travels to Messiah for a crucial conference showdown. Tipoff from Jordan Court in Hitchcock Arena is scheduled