DEFIANCE, Ohio – Albion College threw a haymaker in the form of a 24-4 first half run and it coasted from there to post a 78-58 victory over Defiance College in non-league women's basketball action.

It was the third win in a row for Albion (4-5 overall) who will have an opportunity to move to .500 on the season at 5:30 p.m. Monday when it squares off against the College of Wooster inside Kresge Gymnasium.

Albion scored on its first three possessions as it surged to a 9-4 lead. Nicole Dennis (St. Clair Shores/Lakeview) knocked down a three-point shot on the Britons' first possession, and Brett De Bear (Plymouth/Salem) contributed six points.

Albion was able to run in transition as steals led to layups by Dennis and Patty Rewa (Greenville). The margin reached double figures just 4:13 into the game when de Bear knocked down a jumper to make the score 16-6.

Albion maintained a double-digit lead for almost the rest of the way. An Emily King (Sterling Heights/Henry Ford II) layup gave Albion its largest lead of the first half at 27-9 with 9:53 to play. The Britons settled got a 38-21 bulge at halftime.

Rachel Ciminillo and Erica King dialed from long distance at the start of the second half – they combined to make three shots from three-point range – to bring Defiance within 10. King's third three-point basket whittled the Albion lead down to eight, 43-35, with 14 ½ minutes to play.

Defiance had an opportunity to trim the margin further, but a Lauren Epple (Williamston) steal led to Rewa's fastbreak layup and the start of another Albion run. Taylor Nugent (Honor/Benzie Central)buried a three-point shot and Epple tacked on a basket and a free throw to push the Briton lead to 51-35 and Defiance never mounted a challenge from there.

Dennis enjoyed one of the finest games of her career, posting 20 points, six steals and four assists. It was her first 20-point game since scoring 21 against Saint Mary's on Feb. 14-2009. Four Britons joined Dennis in double figures as de Bear finished with 12 and Epple, Rewa and Nugent contributed 11 apiece.