February 29, 2008, Conway, Ark. - Seventh-ranked DePauw improved to 23-3 and advanced to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Championship semifinals for the sixth time in as many years with a 80-50 quarterfinal victory over Southwestern. The Pirates finished the season at 12-14.
The Tigers picked up their 12th straight win in the process and face Colorado College in Saturday's 5 p.m. CST semifinal contest.
After a sluggish start, the Tigers scored 11 straight to take a 19-6 lead with 6:49 left in the half. DePauw went to the break with a 35-16 advantage.
Southwestern's Kelli Hill opened the second half with a pair of threes, but DePauw put together a 16-5 run and put the game away.
Jenna Fernandez led DePauw with 16 points, while Gwen Haehl added a career-high 14 and Cassie Pruzin finished with 13. Hill totaled 14 for the Pirates.
DePauw held a 38-23 edge on the boards as Fernandez hauled down six for the Tigers. Southwestern's Beth Thomas, Hill and Jessica Herbst each grabbed three.
The Tigers shot 53.7 percent for the game including 66.7 percent in the second half, while the Pirates hit 32.7 percent for the game and just 24 percent in the first half.
The seventh-ranked and 22-3 Tigers go after their third straight Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference title and fourth in the six-year history of the SCAC Tournament when they begin tournament play on Friday
/Athletics/Basketball/WomenDePauw junior guard Cassie Pruzin was named the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Co-Player of the Week for her performances for the week of February 18-24
/Athletics/Basketball/WomenFollowing weekend wins at Sewanee and 25th-ranked Oglethorpe, the 22-3 Tigers are ranked seventh in both the D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll and the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll
/Athletics/Basketball/WomenCassie Pruzin knocked down two free throws with 6.4 seconds left and Oglethorpe's Katie Kulavic missed a two-pointer at the buzzer as seventh-ranked DePauw took a 76-73 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference win at 25th-ranked Oglethorpe
/Athletics/Basketball/WomenCassie Pruzin and Jenna Fernandez each scored 18 and led seventh-ranked DePauw to a 76-61 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference win at Sewanee
/Athletics/Basketball/Women