WILMINGTON, Ohio – The Otterbein University women's basketball team erased a halftime deficit with a dominant second half to defeat Wilmington, 76–60, Wednesday night inside Hermann Court. With the win, the Cardinals improved to 17–5 overall and 11–2 in OAC play.

The two sides opened with an up-tempo first quarter, trading baskets in a back-and-forth stretch that featured multiple lead changes. Wilmington built a brief six-point advantage midway through the period, but Otterbein answered with a 13–6 run to close the quarter and take a 22–21 lead after one.

The Quakers responded in the second, using timely three-point shooting and trips to the free-throw line to regain control. Despite continued second-chance opportunities from the Cardinals, Wilmington carried a 37–35 edge into halftime.

Otterbein flipped the game coming out of the break. The Cardinals opened the third quarter on a 7–2 run to regain the lead and stayed aggressive defensively. After Wilmington trimmed the deficit to two midway through the period, Otterbein responded with a decisive 9–1 run. Junior Kyla Irby buried a three-pointer at the 4:13 mark, and sophomore Madilyn Stechschulte went a perfect 4-for-4 at the free-throw line down the stretch, while sophomore Kiara Hudgins added a pair of free throws to help build the 59–49 advantage entering the fourth.

The Cardinals continued to execute in the final 10 minutes, extending the margin to as many as 16 points down the stretch. Otterbein shot 20-of-26 from the free-throw line on the night and controlled the glass with a 40–26 rebounding edge to secure the 76–60 road victory.

Irby led the Cardinals with 17 points, including three made triples. Sophomore Mattie Walburn added 16 points, while Stechschulte recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Hudgins finished with 10 points and four assists in the win.

The Cardinals return to action Saturday, Feb. 14, traveling to Capital for the annual Battle for the Oar with tip-off scheduled for 5 p.m.