LISLE, IL - The Benedictine University women's basketball team opened the season with a home win over Augustana College.

FINAL SCORE
Benedictine 71, Augustana 66

THE DETAILS
• Benedictine led for nearly the entire contest
• Augustana made a three-pointer on the first possession of the game for one of the only deficits
• Benedictine scored the next four points, taking the lead on a D'Asia Williams three-pointer
• Claire Gibler opened a 5-0 run late in the opening quarter with a layup, and Benedictine did not trail again
• Taylor Hopkins finished a layup with 5:28 to go in the half, handing Benedictine a 28-20 edge
• The visitors trimmed the lead to just a single point three times in the third, but Benedictine countered with a made basket each time including a late three-point play from Allison Michalski
• Williams opened a 6-0 run with a jumper at the 6:29 mark of the fourth, helping extend the lead to 66-59, virtually pulling away
• Augustana twice pulled within two points in the final two minutes, but Benedictine made free throws to grab the season opening win
• Augustana defeated Benedictine by 21 points at home in last season's opener

STAT LEADERS
• Michalski finished 7-for-12 from the floor, scoring 19 points in just over 20 minutes of action to go along with eight boards
• Alex Fanning netted a double-double with 15 points, 13 rebounds and added four blocks in nearly 21 minutes off the bench in her collegiate debut
• Benedictine shot 49 percent in the game including 81.8 percent in the third quarter
• Benedictine held a 43-38 edge on the glass
• The contest featured three ties and seven lead changes

UP NEXT
Benedictine (1-0) plays an exhibition on the road Tuesday at NCAA Division II Lewis University before trekking to Michigan for the Hope College Tip-Off Classic next weekend.