PRINCETON, N.J. (Interstat) — In a commanding display of defensive prowess and offensive efficiency, the Princeton Tigers overwhelmed the DePaul Blue Demons 71-41 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Sunday at Jadwin Gymnasium.

The Tigers, improving to 7-1 overall, never trailed and methodically built their lead throughout the contest, holding DePaul to a season-low in points. The Blue Demons’ offensive struggles were stark, as they fell to 2-6 on the season.

Princeton set the tone early, opening the game on a 12-2 run fueled by a stifling defense that forced difficult shots and capitalized on turnovers. The Tigers led 17-8 after the first quarter and extended their advantage to 37-25 by halftime. The Blue Demons could not mount a challenge in the second half, scoring only 16 points over the final two quarters as Princeton’s lead ballooned to the final 30-point margin.

The story of the game was written in the shooting percentages. DePaul’s offense was ice-cold, converting just 15 of 65 field goal attempts for a dismal 23.1 percent. The Blue Demons were only marginally better from beyond the arc, hitting 4 of 20 three-point attempts. Princeton, while not spectacular from the floor at 28 of 67, was far more efficient, shooting 41.8 percent and making 8 of 25 from three-point range.

A dominant performance in the paint and a formidable shot-blocking presence defined Princeton’s defensive effort. The Tigers outscored DePaul 34-22 in the paint and recorded a remarkable 13 blocked shots, led by Taylor Charles who swatted away seven attempts. The Tigers also converted 16 DePaul turnovers into 24 points, while the Blue Demons managed just 11 points off Princeton’s 16 turnovers.

Ashley Chea led all scorers for Princeton, pouring in 22 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Skye Belker filled the stat sheet with 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Charles was a force defensively with her seven blocks while adding five points and nine rebounds. Olivia Hutcherson also contributed significantly to the defensive wall with three blocks.

For DePaul, Michelle Ojo was the lone player to reach double figures, scoring 10 points off the bench. The Blue Demons’ starting backcourt of Devin Hagemann and Kate Novik combined for just four points on 2-of-17 shooting, though Hagemann did contribute five rebounds and four assists.

The game was a stark contrast in offensive execution. Princeton scored 71 points on 72 possessions, an efficient offensive rating of 99.0. DePaul, meanwhile, managed just 41 points on 76 possessions, resulting in an offensive rating of 54.1, highlighting the sheer difficulty they faced in generating quality looks against the Tigers’ defense.

The announced attendance was 779 at Jadwin Gymnasium.

The loss extends a difficult stretch for DePaul, which has now dropped four of its last five games. The Blue Demons will look to regroup before opening Big East Conference play at home against Marquette on Thursday.

Princeton, riding a wave of confidence, will continue its homestand by hosting Seton Hall on Tuesday. The Tigers have now won three consecutive games since their lone loss of the season at Maryland.