SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — A dominant second quarter propelled Lawrence Tech University to an 81-67 win over Madonna University on Saturday afternoon at Don Ridler Fieldhouse on senior day, as the Blue Devils used a 31-14 frame to seize control and never let the Crusaders back within striking distance.

Leading 17-15 after the first quarter, Lawrence Tech broke the game open with a decisive run to start the second. LaChelle Moreland-Jones ignited the surge with a fastbreak layup at the 9:30 mark, part of a stretch in which the Blue Devils repeatedly turned stops into points. Sydney Garon buried a 3-pointer with 6:31 left in the quarter to extend the margin, and Paetyn Miller added another triple in the final 90 seconds to push the lead past 20. Moreland-Jones capped the half with a late bucket in the paint, sending Lawrence Tech to the locker room up 48-29.

From there, Lawrence Tech managed the game from in front, matching Madonna 17-17 in the third quarter and 16-16 in the fourth. Early in the third, Abby Rey drilled a 3-pointer at 9:20 to restore a 22-point cushion at 51-29, keeping the Blue Devils comfortably ahead despite periodic pushes from the Crusaders. Madonna's best response came behind Terre'ya Moore and Sheneice Halmon, who combined for multiple key scores in the second half, but the deficit never shrank enough to threaten the outcome.

Moreland-Jones led all scorers with 24 points and nine rebounds, including five on the offensive glass, while shooting 8-for-15 from the field and 6-for-7 at the free-throw line. She set the tone early with a 3-pointer at 8:22 of the first quarter that put Lawrence Tech in front 3-2 and continued to be a focal point throughout the afternoon. Rey provided 13 points, seven rebounds and two assists, and Ella Haupert added an efficient 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting with seven rebounds and a team-high four steals, helping anchor both ends of the floor.

As a team, Lawrence Tech finished 24-for-60 (40.0%) from the field and 7-for-27 from beyond the arc, but made the difference at the free-throw line. The Blue Devils converted 26 of 32 attempts (81.3%), repeatedly capitalizing on Madonna fouls to maintain their cushion in the second half. Lawrence Tech also owned a 34-27 advantage on the boards, including 15 offensive rebounds, and forced 23 Madonna turnovers while coming up with 14 steals to fuel its transition game.

Madonna, which trailed by only two after the opening quarter, was led by Moore's 19 points and eight rebounds, including five offensive boards. Halmon added 15 points, hitting two 3-pointers and going 5-for-6 at the line, while chipping in three steals. The Crusaders shot 23-for-55 (41.8%) from the floor and 18-for-27 (66.7%) at the stripe, but their 23 turnovers and 3-for-12 performance from long range limited their ability to claw back. Moore's layup early in the fourth and tip-in in the closing seconds narrowed the gap cosmetically, but Lawrence Tech had already put the game out of reach.

With the 81-67 victory, the Blue Devils turned a decisive second-quarter run into a wire-to-wire second-half advantage, showcasing balanced scoring, free-throw efficiency and disruptive defense. The performance at Don Ridler Fieldhouse reinforced Lawrence Tech's ability to separate quickly when its pressure defense and transition offense are in sync, providing momentum as the Blue Devils continue through the heart of their conference schedule.