ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Albany women’s basketball team used a dominant defensive performance to cruise past Dartmouth 65-41 in a non-conference game Monday night at SEFCU Arena.

The Great Danes improved to 2-1 on the young season, while the Big Green fell to 1-1.

Albany set the tone early, opening the game on a 19-4 run and never looking back. The Great Danes led 19-11 after the first quarter and extended their advantage to 34-21 by halftime. A 19-point third quarter for Albany put the game out of reach, as Dartmouth could not mount a comeback, scoring only eight points in the period.

The story of the game was Albany’s stifling defense and superior ball movement. The Great Danes forced 16 Dartmouth turnovers, converting them into 15 points, while committing only seven turnovers of their own. Albany also tallied 12 steals and 12 assists, showcasing a cohesive team effort. In stark contrast, Dartmouth managed just two assists and two steals for the entire game.

Offensively, Albany was efficient, shooting 49% from the field and 44% from three-point range. Dartmouth struggled to find its rhythm, shooting 35% from the floor and a cold 21% from beyond the arc.

Amaya Stewart led all scorers for Albany, pouring in 21 points in just 22 minutes of action. Lara Langermann added 12 points for the Great Danes, hitting four of her team’s seven three-pointers. Delanie Hill facilitated the offense masterfully, dishing out a game-high seven assists.

Olivia Austin was the lone bright spot for Dartmouth, scoring a team-high 16 points. Alexandra Eldredge contributed nine points for the Big Green.

A crowd of 1,207 watched as Albany controlled the paint, outscoring Dartmouth 34-22 inside, and capitalized on its possessions, scoring 65 points on just 54 trips down the floor.

Dartmouth will look to rebound when it hosts Colby-Sawyer on Wednesday. Albany’s next contest is on the road Saturday against Rhode Island.