OXFORD, Ohio (Interstat) — A dominant second-quarter surge propelled the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks to a 72-60 victory over the Massachusetts Minutewomen in a Mid-American Conference women’s basketball game Wednesday night at Millett Hall.

The Redhawks, who trailed 14-12 after the first quarter, erupted for 30 points in the second period to seize control of the contest. That decisive 30-13 quarter flipped a two-point deficit into a 42-27 halftime lead, a margin Massachusetts could not overcome despite a more competitive second half.

Miami (Ohio) improved to 11-4 overall, while Massachusetts fell to 10-3.

The catalyst for the Redhawks’ game-changing run was a combination of stifling defense and efficient offense. After a slow start, Miami (Ohio) forced a series of Massachusetts turnovers and converted them into transition opportunities. The Minutewomen, who had executed well early, managed just 13 points in the second quarter on a series of missed shots and uncharacteristic mistakes.

Nuria Jurjo led the Redhawks with 17 points, five assists and two blocks, continuing her strong play after a 13-point performance in Saturday’s win over Toledo. The guard from Barcelona, Spain, was instrumental in the second-quarter flurry, contributing key baskets and assists.

She was supported by a balanced attack. Amber Tretter, a forward from Ferdinand, Indiana, also scored 17 points and grabbed multiple offensive rebounds. Guard Amber Scalia added 12 points, and Ashton Elley provided a crucial spark off the bench, scoring all 11 of her points during the first-half surge, including three three-pointers. Point guard Tamar Singer of Haifa, Israel, directed the offense with 11 assists.

For Massachusetts, Allie Palmieri of Trumbull, Connecticut, led all scorers with 18 points. Megan Olbrys of Norwood, Massachusetts, finished with 13 points and five assists, and center Chinenye Odenigbo of Walpole, Massachusetts, added 11 points and two blocks.

The Minutewomen opened the game with purpose, building an early lead behind Olbrys and Palmieri. However, their offense stagnated against Miami’s defensive pressure in the second period. Massachusetts showed resilience after halftime, outscoring Miami 33-30 over the third and fourth quarters, but could never cut the lead to single digits.

The Redhawks’ interior defense was a factor, with Jurjo, Ilse de Vries (10 points, three assists, two blocks), and Odenigbo all recording multiple blocks. Miami also capitalized on Massachusetts’ 18 turnovers, scoring 20 points off those miscues.

The game was the conference opener for both teams. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Miami (Ohio) entered with a 65.6 percent probability to win.

Massachusetts will look to rebound at home against Central Michigan on Saturday. Miami (Ohio) continues its MAC schedule on the road at Akron, also on Saturday. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Amherst on February 14.