Ohio Wesleyan women's basketball hands Denison first loss in thriller
Saturday, January 24, 2026
By Kevin Rouch
krouch@cbussports.com
The #10-ranked Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops celebrate their home victory over the #8-ranked, previously unbeaten, Denison Big Red at Branch Rickey Arena Saturday. Photo: Kevin Rouch
See our PHOTO GALLERY of Saturday’s action.
Saturday’s game between the Denison Big Red (17-1, 6-1 NCAC) and the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops (16-1, 7-0 NCAC), two of the country’s top Division III women’s basketball teams, lived up to the hype. Both squads came back from double-digit deficits, with the Bishops rallying in the fourth quarter to win 72-65.
OWU started the game strong, taking a 19-5 lead late in the first quarter. Denison responded in the second quarter, outscoring the Bishops 20-6 to take a 31-29 to the locker room at the half time break.
Ohio Wesleyan’s Macy Miller (45) led all scorers Saturday with 24 points during the Bishops’ 72-65 win over Denison at Branch Rickey Arena. Photo: Kevin Rouch
The Big Red stretched out the lead in the second half. With 4:30 left in the fourth quarter, Adelyn Moore hit a 3-pointer for Denison to give them their biggest lead of the game, 62-52. The Bishops scored ten straight points and tied the game on Kendall Dieringer’s trey with 2:34 remaining.
Dieringer scored on a layup on Ohio Wesleyan’s next possession to give her squad the lead and the Bishops added to their margin as the contest came down the stretch, holding Denison to just three points in the final three and a half minutes.
Denison point guard Abby Cooch (3) paced the Big Red with 15 points and four assists at Ohio Wesleyan Saturday. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Ohio Wesleyan’s Macy Miller led all scorers with 24 points, going 11-19 from the field, and pulled down 15 rebounds. Dieringer added 13 points, making both of the Bishops’ 3-pointers. Alyssa Griner chipped in with 12 points and Maddie Ebbert had 10.
Abby Gooch paced Denison with 15 points, while Ada Taute had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Both Molly Dorighi and Anelly Mad-toingué chipped in with 11 points. Mad-toingué led the Big Red with 15 rebounds.
Ohio Wesleyan, ranked #10 going into the game, puts their 16-game winning streak on the line when they head to Oberlin next Saturday for an NCAC tilt. #8-ranked Denison plays at Kenyon next Saturday. OWU and the Big Red play again on Feb. 21 in Granville.
OWU’s Kendall Dieringer shoots the trey against Denison with the support of the home crowd Saturday at Branch Rickey Arena. Photo: Kevin Rouch