The Dominican University women's basketball team picked up their biggest win of the last six seasons on Tuesday night, topping the Benedictine University Eagles 74-56 at the Igini Sports Forum to improve to 9-7 on the season and 5-6 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC).  Sophomore Timiya Ray, named the NACC Player of the Week for women's basketball on Tuesday night, poured in a game-high 29 points as the Stars led from wire-to-wire.
 
"Tonight our team approached the game with an unwavering confidence," commented Gabby Johnson, the Stars' sixth-year head coach. "If you believe in yourself and your teammates, you can put yourself in position to win big games like we did tonight.  Our kids took control and never lost it."
 
Dominican dominated the first quarter, outscoring the Eagles 30-13 behind 14 first-quarter points for Ray.  As a team, the Stars shot 13-for-18 in the quarter, including going 4-for-8 from three while holding the Eagles to just 5-for-15 shooting and controlling the boards, pulling down 11 rebounds to the Eagles' four.
 
After Benedictine's Georgia Alexakos knocked down a three with 5:49 to play in the opening quarter and pull the Eagles within 12-9, Dominican closed out the quarter on an 18-4 run, capped by a Stephenee Huggans' three and coast-to-coast layup in the closing seconds.
 
The sides traded baskets in the second quarter, scoring ten points apiece but it was a three by Dominican's Amari Stafford from 35 feet at the buzzer that gave the Stars then lift they needed to carry the first half energy into the third quarter.
 
Dominican pushed the lead to 20, their largest of the night, with 6:46 to play in the fourth when Shamia Clark's put-back extended the Stars' lead to 64-44.
 
The Eagles cut into the Dominican lead with a 10-0 run but the Stars put a stop to the comeback when Ray got an and-one with just under two minutes to play, pushing the lead back to 14, 68-54, before sealing the win at the foul line.
 
Dominican shot 28-for-62 in the winning effort.  Ray led three in double-figures scoring with Stafford finishing with 11 and Alexis Hoskins chipping in ten in the win.
 
The Stars controlled the glass, holding a 42-33 edge on the boards.
 
Venita Parsons led the Eagles with 12 points in the losing effort.  As a team, Benedictine shot just over 37-percent from the field, 23-for-62 and were just 6-for-22 from three-point range.
 
"Between Timiya's 14-point first quarter and Amari's halfcourt shot," continued Johnson, "we were determined to get this one from the opening tip.  Our student section was great tonight. We fed off of their energy all night long. I hope that as we continue to find success, we can garner more support like that."
 
The Stars will look to extend their win streak on Saturday, traveling down Division Street to meet the Concordia University Chicago Cougars.  Tipoff is scheduled for 4:15 p.m., game two of a basketball doubleheader between the Stars and Cougars in the Northwestern Mutual River Forest Cup Rivalry Series.