HAMILTON, Ont. – The No. 1 nationally ranked Mohawk Mountaineers delivered a dominant defensive performance in the second half, defeating the Conestoga Condors 78-44 on Wednesday.

Mohawk held Conestoga to just 16 points after halftime and forced 17 turnovers over the final two quarters.

The Mountaineers opened the game on a 5-0 run, but the Condors answered with six straight points. Conestoga briefly held a 10-6 lead - its only and largest lead of the game - before Mohawk responded to take an 18-16 advantage after the first quarter.

Led by nine second-quarter points from Malak Dahawy (Waterloo, Ont.), the Mountaineers pulled away before the break, extending their lead to double digits. Conestoga was limited to 12 points in the quarter.

Mohawk opened the second half with an 11-0 run and continued to build its lead the rest of the way.

The Condors finished with 32 turnovers, which the Mountaineers converted into 28 points. Mohawk also controlled the paint, outscoring Conestoga 50-24, and won the rebounding battle 41-27.

Maddie Anderson (Whitby, Ont.) led all scorers with 19 points and added nine rebounds. Dahawy finished with 18 points, while Kendra Oliver (Ajax, Ont.) recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Mohawk can clinch the top seed in the OCAA West Division on Jan. 31 when it hosts the No. 14 Humber Hawks. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.