Box Score Turns out the league's leading offensive team can play some serious defense, too.

Jordan Sammons became the school's all-time leader in steals when she pilfered 10  as the Piper women basketball team shut down Crown all night and raced to 84-35 victory at Hutton Arena. Sammons also moved into second place all-time in points scored with a game high 23 as HU improved to 6-4 overall. 

A swarming defense limited the Storm to just 20 per cent shooting from the field (10-50). The 35 points allowed is the second best defensive effort in school history. HU also had 18 steals and forced the visitors into 29 turnovers. 

The Pipers wasted little time taking charge. They broke away from a 4-all tie with a 20-2 midway through the first half. The lead was 38-15 at the intermission. Hamline scored the first 18 points of the second half in a four-minute span and never looked back. Sammons played 29 minutes -- less than her usual rate -- but moved into second place in school history with 1524 career points. Mary Wilkowski (2007-11) is the all-time leader at 1658. The ballhawking guard came within one of the school standard for thefts in a game. That record was set by Katie Jensen in a 1999 game against Augsburg.

Sammons leads the MIAC in scoring (24.6 per game) and steals (4.4). 

She had plenty of help on this night. 15 different players saw action for HU. Nine of them scored points. Chelsey Bonsante fired in 19 while Alex Peterson had a double-double with 10 points and a game high 10 rebounds. Krystina Rasmussen, who played just four minutes in the second half, scored seven. For the game, Hamline shot 51 per cent (35-69), the second straight game they have been over .500 in that category. 

The 35 points allowed was the fewest Hamline has given up in a game in eight years. HU nearly tied a record there as well. The school mark for fewest points surrendered in a game is 32 set against Macalester in 2006. 

All in all, it was a great way to end 2014 and get Hamline ready for the MIAC schedule. HU is 1-3 in MIAC play but will get a crack at improving that number Saturday, January 2 when they host Macalester at Hutton Arena. Game time is 1:00 p.m.