The Dallas Christian College women's basketball team erupted in the final three quarters and placed all five starters in double figures for scoring to topple Southwestern Adventist University 70-38 on the road in Thursday's non-conference season opener.

The Crusaders scored the first nine points in less than three minutes of the game, but were scoreless the rest of the way. Southwestern Adventist answered with nine points of its own to even the game.

The only time the guests trailed in this game was a couple seconds into the second quarter at 11-9. After sides traded baskets, Nina Hedrington sank a trey to break the tie for good. McKayla Washington, Avery Roberts, and Daizja Jolly followed with consecutive baskets to make it a 22-11 edge. Dallas Christian held the Knights scoreless from 9:04 to 2:57 and poured 18 points in the process. DCC posted the highest scoring mark of the game in the second stanza with 26 to build a 12-point halftime lead of 35-23.

Dallas Christian maintained control the entire second half as it outscored the home squad 35-15, holding the opposition to single-digits in both frames. The Crusaders largest lead in the contest was 32 at the final minute.

All five starters for DCC reached double figures led by Courtnee Locke with 16 points. The sophomore from Little Elm, Texas, also swiped seven steals to go with eight rebounds and four assists. Gabby Garza followed in the point's column with 15 in her collegiate debut. She was just short of a double-double with nine boards. Roberts, one-of-two seniors on the team, would notch the game's lone double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jolly, the team's other senior, chipped in 10 points and came up with six balls off the glass. Washington completed the double-digit scoring quintet with 10 points as well.

The Crusaders shot 41.3 percent from the field and had 14 made free throws. The team used 21 steals to help force Southwestern Adventist into 32 turnovers. DCC converted 26 points off of the miscues and edged the Knights in the paint by scoring a 36-12 advantage there.

Based on recent records, this was the Crusaders first season-opening win in quite some time. First-year Head Coach Larry Tidwell earned his first win with Dallas Christian, but definitely not his first in a long career. None-the-less this one had to feel good for the veteran coach with the new program.

"I thought our players gave great effort for the most part on the defensive end and rebounded tough," Tidwell proudly said. "We ran our transition offense at a high level and hit key shots. Winning on the road is always a plus as you build your program."

The Knights were led by Denicia Isreal with 12 points and Asia Toney grabbed nine rebounds while Hannah Kuesters had eight. The team outdid DCC on the boards 38-36. The Knights did shoot a sluggish 22 percent (11-50) from the field.

These teams will meet again in a couple weeks on November 17 at Dallas Christian's home court for a 5:30 p.m. tip.