FRANKLIN, Mass. – Victory was never in doubt for the Norwich University women’s basketball team on Tuesday afternoon, as the Cadets routed Dean College in a 72-15 bout at Pieri Gymnasium in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action in Norwich’s first game of the 2023 calendar year.

The Cadets sported a pair of double-digit scorers, behind an 18-point effort from Haley Brewster (Virginia Beach, Va.) on 7-14 shooting, while Maren McGinn (Georgia, Vt.) poured in 14 points in just 16 minutes of action. Erika Thomas (Burlington, N.C.) added nine points off the bench, in a game where Norwich featured 11 players who scored.

Norwich’s rout began immediately, as a Brewster lay-in off the opening tip set the wheels in motion for a 23-0 run to start the contest, resulting in a 24-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Bulldogs would fare better in the second quarter, as Norwich outscored Dean, 13-10, in the frame, but a 14-3 third stanza would widen the gap even further.  McGinn was crucial in those 20 minutes, tallying eight of her 14 points between the second and third quarters.

The fourth quarter would be a near-repeat of the first, with the Cadets cruising to a 21-1 advantage spanning those 10 minutes, which included building the game-high lead of 57 en route to the 72-15 victory.  Dean’s 15-point output is the lowest point total Norwich has held a team to since a 108-14 victory over Maritime (N.Y.) on Dec. 5, 2003.

“Tonight’s win involved the whole team working together, supporting one another, and fully engaged in pushing toward a common goal,” Head Coach Mark Zacher said.  “It was good to have all of our players see significant time on the floor and gain experience that we will need as this season progresses.  We are committed to building on what we did tonight and continuing to improve!”

Norwich enjoyed a dominant 41.4% shooting clip from the floor, which included a 72.7% mark in the final frame.  Defensively, the Cadets were a juggernaut, holding the Bulldogs scoreless from the floor in the first and the fourth quarters, resulting in a 12.8% clip for the game.

The Cadets forced 31 turnovers, scoring 30 points off those miscues while also maintaining a 13-0 lead in fast break points.  Norwich also owned a strong 53-33 advantage on the glass.

Tori Viau led the Bulldogs offensively with a nine-point effort.

Norwich will now look ahead to a pivotal GNAC showdown on Thursday, Jan. 4, heading to Chicopee, Mass., for a 4:00 p.m. duel at Elms College.