Oberlin, Ohio – The Oberlin College women's basketball team trailed 26-21 at the half but a four-point third quarter helped the Big Red break it open on their way to a 56-39 win on Saturday afternoon at Philips Gym.
 
Cheyenne Arthur led the struggling Yeowomen attack with 11 points and three assists as the offense shot just 24.4% (11-for-45) from the field and 23.1% (3-for-13) from beyond the arc.
 
Oberlin got off to a fast start with an Arthur triple giving the home team a 12-5 advantage four minutes into the opening quarter as the Yeowomen led 16-11 after 10 minutes of play.
 
After Denison's slow start, their offense continued to chip away at the lead before taking a 18-16 advantage at the 6:36 mark of the second quarter. From the point of Denison trailing 12-5 at the 6:02 mark of the first quarter, it closed the rest of the first half on a 21-9 run, including a 13-0 spurt in the second to head to the break ahead 26-21.
 
The Big Red carried that momentum into the third period as they opened the stanza with a 16-0 stretch to balloon the margin to 42-21 before a Jai Cunningham jumper stopped the draught with 1:55 remaining in the third. The Yeowomen mustered only four points in the frame as they went to the fourth down 44-25.
 
Denison pushed the advantage to as much as 25, 51-26, early in the final quarter as Oberlin never threatened, only pulling to within 16, 55-39, on a pair of Nichole Geist free throws with 54 ticks remaining.
 
The second half did in the Yeowomen as they shot just 18.2% (4-for-22) from the floor and were 0-of-6 from three after the intermission.
 
Oberlin didn't commit many turnovers (6) but were outrebounded, 47-35, while being outscored in the paint 28-10.
 
The Yeowomen remain home when they welcome Allegheny to Philips Gym on Wednesday, February 12 at 6:00 p.m. Oberlin looks for the season sweep as it won the first matchup in Meadville, 52-42, back on January 22.