CYPRESS, La. (Interstat) — Chloe Donnell scored 46 points and Northwestern State used a blistering start to defeat visiting Ecclesia 120-40 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game at Prather Coliseum. The Demons improved to 1-0 with the home victory. Ecclesia, a non-divisional opponent, fell in the road matchup before an announced attendance of 244. Northwestern State set the tone early and never let the visitors settle into their offense, turning a fast opening stretch into a one-sided result. The Demons controlled the tempo from the opening tip and repeatedly beat Ecclesia to loose balls, turning defensive stops into quick offense. Northwestern State finished the game with 120 points from 84 possessions and an offensive rating of 142.6.

Donnell, a 5-foot-8 guard from Boerne, Texas, played 26 minutes and added two rebounds and four assists. She was the top star for Northwestern State and punished Ecclesia from beyond the arc, hitting 3-pointers at the end of the first half and repeatedly after halftime. The guard previously attended Boerne High School. Donnell’s shooting helped Northwestern State separate early, and her perimeter accuracy kept the Demons in control as the game moved into the second half. She scored from deep, finished in transition and gave Ecclesia no comfortable answer on the perimeter.

Northwestern State never trailed. Becca Milon opened with a layup and followed with a 3-pointer, and Stella Allison and Donnell soon connected from deep. Ecclesia’s Kyra Bradley made a driving layup and Adriana Hernandez hit a 3-pointer, but Northwestern State answered with a decisive run. Payton Miller scored a layup and a 3-pointer, Delora Pricop added a jumper off a turnover, and Karma Wynn made two free throws. Donnell’s 3-pointer at the buzzer capped the quarter and sent the Demons into the second with a 35-9 lead. The opening period established the game’s pattern: Northwestern State pushed the pace, attacked the offensive glass and converted turnovers and defensive stops into quick points. Milon’s early burst forced Ecclesia to extend its defense, and Northwestern State took advantage with dribble penetration and open looks from the perimeter.

Ecclesia’s Kayleah Wilson kept the visitors within range early in the second, making three 3-pointers and a driving layup, but Northwestern State answered each time. Cimiya Rideaux converted three layups, Pricop scored on a turnaround jumper and a fast-break jumper, and Donnell beat the halftime horn with another 3-pointer to give the Demons a 62-25 lead. Stella Allison added a free throw, while KP Parr and Stephie Salumu scored on drives. Ecclesia got free throws from Ziinde Kumalo late in the half, but the Demons’ depth and pace wore down the visitors. Wilson’s shooting was one of the few consistent answers for Ecclesia, but the visitors could not keep pace once Northwestern State began converting second-chance opportunities. Northwestern State’s efficiency showed throughout; the Demons finished with 17 offensive rebounds, 11 assists and nine turnovers.

The third quarter turned into a Donnell showcase. The guard hit five 3-pointers in the period and added a layup, and Northwestern State stretched its lead to 93-32 after three. Stephie Salumu added a jumper and two free throws, while Erica Carr and Milon worked the paint. Ecclesia got a jumper from J’Zyriah Slaughter and a tip-in from Hernandez, plus free throws from Ziinde Kumalo, but could not slow the Demons. Donnell’s consecutive 3-pointers late in the quarter highlighted the surge, and Northwestern State’s defensive pressure limited Ecclesia to difficult shots. The Demons kept moving the ball and found open shooters when Ecclesia collapsed inside.

Northwestern State kept the pressure on in the fourth. Donnell made two more 3-pointers, Pricop hit a 3 and a layup, and Salumu capped the scoring surge with a 3-pointer. Rideaux added two layups, Karma Wynn made a driving layup, and Carr scored inside. Ecclesia’s Kyra Bradley opened the fourth with back-to-back layups, and Slaughter and Kumalo closed the scoring with late jumpers. Northwestern State’s 120 points came on 84 possessions, an offensive rating of 142.6. The Demons continued to share the ball and attack the rim, while Ecclesia kept competing until the final buzzer. The Demons’ ability to score in bunches made the final quarter academic, but they maintained their intensity on the boards and kept Ecclesia from finding a rhythm.

Allison finished with nine points, 15 rebounds and five assists in 27 minutes. Salumu had nine points, 11 rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes. Wynn added four points, seven rebounds and nine assists in 16 minutes. Pricop scored 13 points with six rebounds, one assist and one block in 16 minutes. Milon had 11 points, eight rebounds and one assist in 22 minutes. KP Parr totaled six points, four rebounds and 11 assists in 22 minutes. Carr had six points, six rebounds and three assists in 17 minutes. Rideaux scored 10 points with one rebound in 10 minutes. Payton Miller had six points, three rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes. The balanced supporting effort complemented Donnell’s big scoring night and helped Northwestern State control the paint and the pace.

Northwestern State’s team nickname is Demons, and the home victory moved the program to 1-0 on the season. The game was played at Prather Coliseum in Cypress, La., before an announced attendance of 244. Ecclesia, playing as a non-divisional opponent, received contributions from Bradley, Hernandez, Wilson, Kumalo and Slaughter but could not match Northwestern State’s shooting or rebounding. The Demons’ 11 assists and nine turnovers reflected a efficient offensive performance, while their 17 offensive rebounds created extra possessions and helped fuel the lopsided margin.

Northwestern State’s next 10 scheduled games are against Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Louisiana Tech, LSU-Shreveport, Oklahoma, Alabama State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Stephen F. Austin, LSU and Jackson State. No projection, game simulator, point spread, betting line or over-under information was available.