READING, Pa. - The Hood College women's basketball team won its second game in a row, defeating the Alvernia University Crusaders, 74-53, in Commonwealth Conference action tonight.

The Blazers never trailed in the game, and Brittney George (Middletown, Md. / Middletown) led Hood with a double-double, scoring 13 points and snagging 11 rebounds. Arianna Delerme (Harrisburg, Pa. / Susquehanna Township) had a career-high 10 points coming off the bench, and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. 

Alvernia's Kaitlyn Yoh led all scorers with 16 points, and Tyra Roberts was one rebound away from a double-double, finishing with 10 points and nine boards. 

Behind a fast eight points from Verkia Smith (Waldorf, Md. / North Point), the Blazers jumped out to a 10-2 lead with 16:11 remaining in the first half. The Crusaders scored two free throws to cut the lead to 4-2 at 17:02, but then Smith hit back-to-back 3-pointers to extend the lead to eight.

Megan Turner (Cape May, N.J. / Lower Cape May Regional) hit her only basket of the game to give Hood the first double-digit lead of the game at 19-8, with 10:07 on the clock. Three minutes later, Allie Appleby (Bel Air, Md. / C. Milton Wright) hit one of her three 3-pointers to give the Blazers the 24-11 lead. Appleby hit another with just over five minutes on the clock to make the lead 28-15. 

After Alvernia scored two free throws to cut lead lead down to single-digits at 28-19 with 5:29 to go, Hood turned in an outstanding defensive effort that shutout the Crusaders until the clock read 2:47. Alvernia could only muster two more free throws, and the Blazers went into the half leading 43-23.

The strong Hood defensive effort in the first half held the home team to 7-of-31 (22 percent) shooting from the field, and only 1-of-9 from beyond the arc (11 percent). 

Throughout the second half Hood maintained the lead, and the closest the Crusaders could trim the lead to 16. With 2:59 remaining Taylor McGaughey (New Market, Md. / Oakdale) gave the visitors their biggest lead of the game at 72-45.  

Smith finished with 10 points and Appleby had 11 in 15 minutes off the bench. 

The Blue and Grey defensive effort throughout the game held Alvernia to a season low 27 percent shooting (17-of-63), and the Crusaders tied their season-low with only three 3-pointers made. 

Hood hit 40 percent (6-of-15) from beyond the arc, the highest percentage this year, and 69 percent (20-of-29) from the line. For the fifth time this year the Blazers grabbed 50 or more rebounds, outrebounding Alvernia 50-41.

The 16 assists were the second highest in any game this year for Hood, with Rachel Kessler (Middletown, Md. / Middletown) having a game-high five. 

The Blazers return to action on January 11 at 1 p.m. when Arcadia University travels to BB&T Arena.