SOUTHFIELD--Freshman DeDe Smith posted career highs of 21 points and nine rebounds, junior Maggie Long also scored a game-high-tying 21 points, and the Lawrence Tech women's basketball team cruised past visiting Madonna University, 76-55, in Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference action on Wednesday night at the Don Ridler Field House.

The Blue Devils improve to 7-9 on the season, including a 5-5 mark in the WHAC, while the Crusaders are now 8-7 overall and 4-5 in the conference.

Lawrence Tech Highlights

• Sophomore Kate Jacobs posted another double-double with a career- and game-high 17 rebounds and 10 points.
• Senior Jade Faris also had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
• Long also had a game-high three assists.

Madonna Highlights

• Delani Robinson scored a team-high 21 points.
• LaZae Mosley produced a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.
• Aaliyah McQueen (9 points) had game bests of three steals and two blocked shots, and Dekota Smith (7 points) led MU with three assists.

How it Happened 

• Lawrence Tech never trailed in the game, darting out to a 28-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.
• Madonna outscored the Blue Devils 18-5 in the second quarter to cut the deficit to 32-26 by halftime.
• But LTU opened the second half on 10-3 run punctuated by a pair of Long treys to take a 42-29 lead with 7 minutes and 37 seconds left in the third.
• The Blue Devils, who led 52-38 after 30 minutes, were never seriously threatened after that, securing a double-digit lead for the entire fourth quarter. Their biggest advantage of 25 points came at 7:12 (65-40).
• Lawrence Tech enjoyed a huge advantage on the glass, outrebounding MU 56 to 35. The Blue Devils outscored the Crusaders 14-4 in second-chance points on the strength of a whopping 19 offensive rebounds.
• The Crusaders were held to just 31.7 percent field goal shooting (19-60).

Beyond the Boxscore

• Jacobs' two best rebounding games in her career have come against Madonna. On Jan. 28, 2023, she pulled down 14 against the Crusaders during her freshman year.
• Lawrence Tech holds a commanding 18-7 advantage in the all-time series against Madonna, including a 12-2 home record.
• The Blue Devils have also prevailed in the last seven meetings.
• Faris and Jacobs lead LTU with three double-doubles apiece in 2023-24, with the former performing the feat in her last two outings.

Up Next

• The Blue Devils will travel to Adrian on Saturday to play Siena Heights at 5 p.m. in a WHAC matchup.