The Dominican University women's basketball team connected on a season-high nine three pointers to push their season-long winning streak to three games with a 78-71 win over the Rockford University Regents in Rockford Wednesday night.  Freshman Amari Stafford dropped in a season-high 25 points, including 19 in the second half, to lead five players in double-figures in the winning effort for the Stars.
 
"Tonight was great for our players and the program," claimed Gabby Johnson, the Stars' head women's basketball coach, following the effort. "We've been grinding these games out and that shows our players that the games are never over until the final horn."
 
After the Stars led by five, 28-23, at the break, the Regents erased that deficit and took a four point lead midway through the quarter when Mallory Getzelman converted on a pair of free throws.  The Stars regrouped and used a 16-8 run to end the quarter and regain the lead, 49-47, heading into the fourth quarter.
 
In the fourth, Dominican knocked down four three-point field goals, including back-to-back triples from Claudia DeNigris that turned a 51-49 advantage for Dominican into an eight point lead with 7:39 to play.  Every time Rockford made a run to cut into the lead, Dominican answered the run with a three.  With 3:56 to play, Angela Evola turned a three-point lead into a six-point advantage, 65-69, with a three and minutes later Timiya Ray dropped one in from long distance to extend the lead for Dominican back to eight.
 
"We had five players in double figures tonight," said Johnson, "and that balance makes our offense more stable. We had a few kids hit big shots when we needed a basket and were able to shoot better than 60 percent from the field in the second half."
 
Stafford's 25 was a career high for the rookie.  She went 7-for-15 from the field and converted on nine of 16 attempts at the free throw line.  DeNigris added 12 points while freshman Lexi Hoskins chipped in 11 and Ray and Evola tallied ten apiece.
 
For Rockford, Taylor May led the way with 24 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field.
 
Dominican, now 4-11 on the season and 3-8 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC), will go for their fourth straight victory on Saturday, hosting the Edgewood College Eagles for a 2:00 p.m. game in the Igini Sports Forum.

"We can enjoy it tonight and tomorrow move on to Saturday's game," commented Johnson. "If we get too comfortable we can find ourselves in a hole against Edgewood."