CARLINVILLE, Ill. – Host Blackburn University raced out to an early 21-4 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back, handing the Mount Mary University basketball team its 11^th straight loss of the 2021-22 season, 70-37, Saturday night at Dawes Gym.

Mount Mary (0-11), after nearly knocking off Rockford Thursday evening in Milwaukee, could not seem to find the offensive flow Saturday, finishing the game with just 15-for-57 (26.3 percent) shooting from the floor. Blackburn (2-9), was 10 percentage points better, but did drill nine three pointers and created 28 Blue Angel turnovers.

Sophomore Brianna Duke (Milwaukee, Wis./Rufus King) led all players with 16 points and 13 rebounds, recording her second career double-double at MMU. Duke also added a team-best four assists and two steals, but did have a season-high 13 turnovers.

Senior Brianna Jashinsky (Butler, Wis./Hamilton) chipped in seven points, three rebounds, and two steals, while the freshmen tandem of Lisette Rodriguez (Bensenville, Ill./Fenton) and Natalie McDermott (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha North) tallied five points and seven rebounds apiece.

Leading scorer and sophomore Talesa Campbell (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Boyd Anderson) was held to just one basket on the night, but did record five rebounds. Freshman Brianna Brown (San Diego, Calif./Herbert Hoover) recorded her first points as a collegiate basketball player, going 1-for-3 from the floor with a pair of rebounds.

After Campbell's lone jumper gave MMU a 4-2 lead, the Beavers used a 34-0 run stretching into the second quarter to eventually lead 40-10 at halftime. The teams would play nearly even throughout the second half with MMU actually outshooting Blackburn 34.4 percent (11-for-34) to 30.6 percent to (11-for-36) over the final two stanzas.

Next Up

Mount Mary will be off the week of Christmas and resume for a New Years Eve matchup at North Park University. Tip off against the Vikings is slated for 2 p.m. next Friday at NPU Gymnasium.