NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Behind another suffocating defensive effort and a well-balanced offensive attack, which featured four Captains in double-figures, the Christopher Newport women's basketball team extended its winning streak to six straight games as the squad toppled Wesley, 82-42, during a Capital Athletic Conference clash on Saturday afternoon at the Freeman Center.
 
Leading the way on the offensive end, Sam Porter dropped in a team-high 14 points, including nine in the first four minutes of the contest. The second-year standout also stuffed the stat sheet with eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals during a well-rounded afternoon.
 
Along with Porter, Anitra Thomas scored 13 points for the Captains, while Devon Byrd and Zhara Tannor added 11 apiece. Meanwhile, on the defensive end, Byrd led a solid group effort with five steals and a pair of blocks, while Brooke Basinger collected a game-high 11 rebounds. Tannor and Bailey Dufrene also chipped in with three swipes apiece. Overall, CNU limited the Wolverines to 22 percent shooting from the field, marking the second-lowest showing by an opponent this season.
 
With the victory, Christopher Newport improves to 11-2 on the year, including 4-2 in league action. The setback drops Wesley to 2-10 overall and 1-5 in CAC play.
 
From the outset, Porter set the tone with a relentless effort on the offensive end. The sophomore was nearly unstoppable as she scored nine of the squad's first 14 points and added an assist to give CNU a 14-11 edge. Looking to add a little cushion, Tannor and Dufrene picked up a pair of steals and combined for the next five points before Jasmine Bonivel drained a dagger from downtown to push the lead to 22-11 with three minutes left in the opening quarter.
 
Although Wesley was able to whittle its deficit back down to single digits at the tail end of the first, the Captains drilled the Wolverines with back-to-back threes. First, Porter capped off a solid quarter by battling through contact in the post before kicking the ball out to Dufrene, who dropped one in from deep. Moments later, just before the horn, Makenzie Fancher found Byrd, who quickly nailed another three to snatch a 32-19 lead at the end of the period.
 
In the second quarter, the hosts continued to plug away and showed hustle on the glass. The squad secured four offensive rebounds in the early going, while Dufrene hit a pair of buckets to help push the lead to 40-21. Continuing to frustrate the visitors from all over the court, Fancher sank a three before Porter and Jessica Daguilh hit a pair of runners in the paint to snare a 47-23 lead with four minutes remaining in the half.
 
With time winding down, Makeda Wright connected on a jumper before Tannor and Bonivel combined for three free throws to lock down a 52-30 edge entering the break.
 
Following halftime, Thomas added some instant offense for CNU with nine quick points in the first five minutes of the third quarter. Byrd also made her presence felt on both sides of the ball as the sophomore converted a pair of layups and ended back-to-back Wesley possessions with a block and steal to nail down a 25-point edge.
 
With a comfortable lead, the Captains never relented and continued to do work on the offensive boards. Basinger pulled down a pair of rebounds, while Daguilh added one before swatting a shot on the other end of the court to secure a 69-33 lead at the end of the third.
 
With more than enough breathing room, Christopher Newport eased into the victory during the final 10 minutes of regulation. Basinger continued to clean the glass with three rebounds early in the fourth, while Ellen Nye added three of her own to keep the Wolverines from any second-chance opportunities. Showing her skills on both ends of the court, Nye also dropped in five points to keep the offense flowing.
 
Later, Madison Howdyshell helped put the final punctuation mark on the contest as the freshman had a block, board, and layup to finish off the 82-42 victory.
 
Overall, the Captains shot just over 42 percent from the field and came through with 26 second-chance points. The defense also helped create some offense as CNU registered 36 points off turnovers against the Wolverines.
 
Christopher Newport will be back in action on Wednesday when the Captains head to Mary Washington for a CAC showdown at 6 p.m. in Fredericksburg.
 
---CNU---