Ft Wayne Times

Amellia Bromenschenkel and Mastodon WBB Beat Oakland 73-64

Amellia Bromenschenkel was the star of yet another Purdue Fort Wayne women's basketball game on Thursday night (Jan. 26). She led the Mastodons to a 73-64 win over the Oakland Golden Grizzlies on the road.

Bromenschenkel had one of the best all-around performances of the season, finishing with 24 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block with just two turnovers. She shot 9-of-15 from the floor for 60 percent.

The junior guard set the tone immediately. She turned Oakland over, then grabbed an offensive rebound off a Mastodon miss, then scored a layup on her own.

The 3-ball was working for the Mastodons throughout the contest, getting three in each of the first three quarters. Shayla Sellers hit one in the first quarter, then later on, Audra Emmerson nailed two on back-to-back trips.

In the second quarter, Ryin Ott joined in on the fun, knocking in one of her own. On the next possession, Sellers buried a tirple off an Ott assist. With 3:21 left in the half, Emmerson hit her third and final 3-pointer of the contest to put the 'Dons up 11.

After the break, the 'Dons rattled off a 7-0 run capped off by an Ott 3-pointer to go up 15. This forced Oakland to burn a timeout.

It took until the 5:28 mark of the fourth quarter for Oakland to scrape back within 10 points. The Golden Grizzlies brought it all the way back to a four-point deficit, but the 'Dons were good enough from the free throw line in the final 2:30 to come away with the win. They were 6-of-8 from the stripe in that time, with Bromenschenkel hitting four and Sellers a pair.

Sellers joined her teammate in double-figures with 16 points of her own on 4-of-9 shooting. Emmerson was also 4-for-9, but netted 11. Jazzlyn Linbo had nine points and four blocks. Sylare Starks netted a pair of free throws, continuing her perfect streak. She has made her last 24, dating back to last season, with 18 made on 18 attempts this year.

The Mastodons finished 11-of-26 from the 3-point line for 42.3 percent. Over the last four games, they are shooting 43.3 percent (39-of-90) from beyond the arc. They are also 3-1 in that four-game stretch.

Purdue Fort Wayne forced Oakland into 20 turnovers. Horizon League Freshman of the Year front-runner Brooke Quarles-Daniels finished with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists for Oakland, but the 'Dons forced her to cough it up six times.

Purdue Fort Wayne led for 38:11 of the game. Oakland led for just 19 seconds.

Thursday's win was the Mastodons' first over the Golden Grizzlies since 2013, snapping an eight-game losing streak. It was also the largest margin of victory in the series by either side since the 2020-21 season.

Purdue Fort Wayne improves to 8-13 and 5-6 in the Horizon League. It is the fastest the Mastodons have reached eight wins since the 2013-14 season. Oakland falls to 10-10 and 5-6 in league play.

The Mastodons have a chance to move to .500 in league play on Saturday (Jan. 28) when they play at Detroit Mercy. The 'Dons beat the Titans 58-49 in the league opener on December 2.

Original source can be found here