VIENNA, W. Va. — The University of Findlay women’s basketball team didn’t shoot the ball well Saturday afternoon.
Ohio Valley shot it way worse.
The Oilers made the most of a strong defensive effort against the winless Fighting Scots and picked up a 69-50 Great Midwest Athletic Conference victory in Vienna, West Virginia.
Findlay improved to 14-3 overall, 11-2 in the GMAC. Ohio Valley slid to 0-15, 0-11.
With Cedarville (14-3, 9-2) topping Ursuline (13-6, 10-3) 66-63 Saturday, the Oilers sit atop the GMAC standings with essentially a one-game lead on the Yellow Jackets.
UF posted their lowest shooting percentage in a win this season at 42.1 percent (24 of 57), making 6 of 22 3-pointers.
Lynsey Englebrecht led all scorers with 18 points but on a sub-par shooting night by her standards. A 47.7 percent 3-point shooter coming in, she made just 4 of 13 shots from downtown Saturday.
Anna Hintz and Jenna Stegmaier (11 rebounds) each chipped in 11 points while Haley Horstman added 10 points and four assists.
Horstman needs 25 points to reach the 1,000-point mark for her career.
Findlay also limited the Fighting Scots to their worst shooting night of the season at 26.8 percent (15 of 56).
Within the offensive struggle for both teams was a turnover fest.
Findlay last topped 20 turnovers nine game ago but had 23 to Ohio Valley’s 20.
Yet the Oilers led at the end of every quarter.
Findlay built a modest 22-14 lead after one frame and extended into double digits (38-24) by halftime.
Horstman scored eight of her points in the first quarter and five other UF players chipped in at least three points in the second quarter.
Amiaya Melvins led the Fighting Scots with 13 points while Zae Sellers had 10 points.
Findlay finally returns to Croy Gymnasium for just its fifth home game of the season 8 p.m. Thursday against Trevecca Nazarene (6-12, 4-8).
The Oilers are 4-0 so far at home.
FINDLAY (14-3, 11-2 GMAC)
Horstman 4-10 2-2 10, Hintz 5-12 1-2 11, Englebrecht 5-17 4-4 18, Ellerbrock 3-4 1-2 7, Stegmaier 4-6 2-2 11, Hinton 0-0 0-0 0, Molnar 0-0 0-0 0, Mercer 0-1 0-0 0, Thobe 0-1 2-4 2, Stolly 1-1 0-0 3, Fricke 0-3 0-0 0, Puthoff 2-2 3-7 7. TOTALS: 24-57 15-23 69.
OHIO VALLEY (0-15, 0-11 GMAC)
Melvins 5-7 1-2 13, Simmons 1-8 0-0 2, Fox 2-8 0-0 5, Johnson 2-9 5-6 9, Sellers 3-8 4-4 10, Esposito 0-3 2-4 2, Murray 0-1 1-2 1, Ford 1-9 3-6 5, Burchfield 1-3 0-0 3. TOTALS: 15-56 16-24 50.
Findlay 22 16 19 12 — 69
Ohio Valley 14 10 17 9 — 50
3-Point GOALS: Findlay 6-22 (Horstman 0-1, Englebrecht 4-13, Stegmaier 1-3, Mercer 0-1, Thobe 0-1, Stolly 1-1, Fricke 0-2); Ohio Valley 4-16 (Melvins 2-3, Simmons 0-1, Fox 1-5, Seller 0-2, Esposito 0-2, Burchfield 1-3).
rebounds: Findlay 46 (Stegmaier 11); Ohio Valley 35 (Ford 8). ASSISTS: Findlay 12 (Horstman 4); Ohio Valley 7 (Sellers 3). STEALS: Findlay 14 (Stegmaier, Englebrecht 4); Ohio Valley 9 (Simmons 3). BLOCKS: Findlay 4 (Ellerbrock 2); Ohio Valley 3. TURNOVERS: Findlay 23, Ohio Valley 20. TOTAL FOULS: Findlay 18, Ohio Valley 20. FOULED OUT: Ohio Valley (Fox).