WESTMINSTER, Md. – McDaniel built a 19-point first half lead and never trailed in a 63-52 Centennial Conference (CC) women's basketball victory over Muhlenberg on Saturday.

Alyssa March (Fallston, Md./Fallston) recorded a double-double, tallying a career-high 16 points to go with 11 rebounds for the Green Terror (18-1, 12-1 CC), who became the first team to clinch a berth in the conference tournament with three full weeks to play in the regular season.

Leanna Tallamy netted 24 points to pace the Mules (12-6, 11-3 CC), who had their nine-game winning streak snapped with the loss.

Behind baskets from four different players, McDaniel built a 10-0 lead in the game's first 2:51.

Four straight layups closed the deficit to 10-8 with 12:34 showing before March and Laura Gregory traded layups to keep it a two-point game with 10:37 on the clock.

Brittney Davis (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) hit a 3-pointer with 9:25 remaining to spark an 18-2 run that opened up an 18-point lead six minutes later.

One Tallamy free throw momentarily halted the run before Davis canned a pair from the charity stripe with 2:37 to give the Green Terror a 32-13 lead.

Two Janelle Fleet layups and an Abby Stenger pull-up 3-pointer in transition keyed an 11-0 flurry to end the half and cut the deficit to eight.

Tallamy trimmed the margin to six just 51 seconds into the second half before a March three-point play extended the lead back to nine.

The Mules drew as close as six on a Tallamy jumper that made it 43-37 with 9:21 remaining.

Four March free throws helped extend the lead back to 12 two minutes later.

Two Nicole Pepe free throws made ita  57-51 game with 11:38 to play but McDaniel went 6-for-10 from the line in the final 1:21 to claim the series split on the season.

Wingerd added a double-double of her own with 13 points and 10 rebounds while Nichols chipped in 13 points and Perez added 11.

Davis scored seven points and handed out seven assists for the Green Terror, who have a full game lead on the field for first place in the conference standings after Johns Hopkins defeated Haverford.

McDaniel returns to action at St. Mary's (Md.) on Monday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

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