GLEN ELLYN _The running game defeated the half-court offense Monday night in the NIU women’s basketball Cardinal-White intrasquad scrimmage at Glenbard West High School.

The Cardinal team exploded in the second half to win 80-57 after leading 26-22 at the half before about 150 area high school coaches, players and fans.

The White team, consisting of Denise Lipnisky, Nikki Dallas, Pam Seward, Kris Weis, Dianna Wingis and Tammy Hinchee, mainly stuck with its set plays while the Cardinal team flew into a fast break whenever it had a chance. Cardinal team members included Lisa Foss, Carol Owens, Gena Stubbs, Denise Dove and Nikki Vandehey.

“I think the White team did a better job of running their offense,” said head coach Jane Albright, who let her two assistants, Kim Duppins and Debbie Patterson, coach the two squads. “They (Cardinals) didn’t have to set up their offense. They took high-percentage shots on the break.”

Lisa Foss scored 38 points—30 of them after intermission—to lead the Cardinal squad. Foss hit 19 of 29 shots on the night, including the first shot of the game.

“Her shooting, what can you say?” Albright said. Albright, however, did have a lot to say about the performance of freshman point guard Dove, who played the enitre game without turning the ball over. “That’s the most significant statistic of the game,” Albright said.

Is she this year’s starting point guard?

“If we played tomorrow, that’s what I would say,” Albright said.

Dove scored 11 points, including two 3-pointers, while also feeding her teammates.

“With Lisa, Carol and Gena—they’re the scorers—it’s my job to get the ball to them and take the shot when it’s open,” Dove said.

Owens, sporting a uniform for the first time since injuring his knee is last season’s opener, scored 11 points although she was left behind many times on the break.

“I thought I played well, but I could always do better,” Owens said. “I didn’t think about it (favoring the knee), but I’m sure I did self-consciously. It got hit once and it bruised, but it was no problem.”

Albright said she felt Owens was only playing at about 50 percent but added, “For her first game back, I’ll take this.”

Stubbs, displaying her familiar aerial acrobatics, scored 16 for the Cardinal team and Vandehey added four.

Sophomore Hinchee led the White squad with 26 points while Weis was the only other member in double-figures with 12. Albright said the defense was lacking, especially with the White team’s inability to get back to defend the Cardinal team’s fast breaks.

“I was not at all pleased with our defense,” Albright said. “We’re not where we should be.”