The Muhlenberg women's basketball team scored eight points in the first minute and three seconds and never looked back, cruising past Notre Dame (Md.), 97-42, in the first round of the Scotty Wood Tournament.

The Mules (2-0) advance to the championship game to face Lycoming, an 81-52 winner against Valley Forge in the other first-round game.

All but one of the 16 Muhlenberg players who suited up scored a point, and none played more than 17 minutes. Senior Rachel Plotke led a balanced attack with 11 points (all in the first quarter), while seniors Chelsea Gary and Christina Manning and sophomore Emily O'Mahoney added 10 apiece. 

Senior Brandi Vallely tied her own Scotty Wood Tournament record with 12 assists to go along with 7 rebounds and 5 points. The Mules recorded assists on 30 of their 39 field goals.

Sophomore Madison Kirchofer came off the bench to contribute 7 points and 7 rebounds. 

Freshmen Ny Thomas and JoJo Pierick scored their first career points 13 seconds apart in the fourth quarter, and Thomas went on to finish with 9 points.

The lone Mule not to score, sophomore Caroline Hogg, blocked 3 shots.

Plotke hit a three-pointer four seconds into the game, fed Gary for a layup 30 seconds later and swished another three 29 seconds after that to give Muhlenberg a quick 8-0 lead. 

It was 12-4 before the Mules went on a 15-1 run, capped by Plotke's three and her steal and layup. The Mules finished the first quarter with 32 points, tying a school record they set three times last year.

O'Mahoney (pictured above) hit back-to-back threes late in the second quarter to give Muhlenberg a 48-16 advantage. It was 56-22 at the half after junior Meghan Falk drilled a three-pointer, and the Mules did not lead by fewer than 30 points for the entire second half.

The 55-point margin of victory was the most for Muhlenberg in a Scotty Wood Tournament game since 2010. The Mules have advanced to the championship game all 25 years they've been in the Scotty Wood Tournament, and since a one-point win in the first year, their average margin of victory in first-round games is 28.8 points.