Madi Graham of Warsaw dribbles past a Penn defender Wednesday night. The host Kingsmen topped the Tigers 47-26.

MISHAWAKA – The Penn girls basketball program under the direction of Kristi Ulrich has always taken a lot of pride in its defense.

The Kingsmen and their coach had a lot to be proud about Wednesday night.

Penn, ranked No. 10 in Class 4-A, put the clamps down on Warsaw for a convincing 47-26 win.

The Kingsmen, Class 4-A state runner-up a year ago, entered the game allowing 39 points-per-game. The Tigers entered the game averaging almost 44 ppg.

Warsaw in tying its season low point total shot just 8-26 from the field, including 0-3 from 3-point range. The Tigers also had 23 turnovers versus the trapping, aggressive defense of the Kingsmen.

Senior Pam Miller led Warsaw with 11 points versus Penn.

Senior Pam Miller scored 11 points to pace Warsaw, which saw its four-game winning streak come to an end. The Tigers drop tp 11-8.

Senior Cassandra Morton had 11 points and junior Kaitlyn Marenyi 10 to lead Penn. The Kingsmen improve to 15-4.

“Penn definitely plays great defense,” said Warasw coach Michelle Harter. “They have a great defensive scheme and they trust each other.

“I thought that we got on our heels and played scared at times. We were not looking up against their pressure and they had us passing the ball sideways. We have to be stronger with the ball.

“We did not get open looks, we rushed shots when we had them and our offense stalled. We just need to learn from this, grow from it and get better. It will be a great game to watch on film so we see the opportunities we did have if we look up the floor and reverse the ball.”

Warsaw took its only lead of the night at 2-0. The Kingsmen then scored the next 13 points of the opening period. The Tigers went 10:31 before a driving bucket by Jodie Carlson to open the game and a free throw by Erin Clemens with 5:09 to play in the second quarter.

Penn led 25-9 at halftime as the Tigers were just 3-14 from the field and had 10 turnovers. The hosts hit five treys in the opening half with Morton draining three from distance.

Warsaw, which lost 63-36 at home to Penn last season, got no closer than 12 points in the final half.

Jodie Carlson makes a slick dribble for the Tigers at Penn Wednesday night.

Ulrich, who was a blue collar player at both Mishawaka High School and Bethel College, loved what she saw from her team in the opening half.

“We put on a clinic on defense in that first half,” said Ulrich, the former Kristi Kaniewski. “One of our main goals tonight was to be disruptive. We got them out of the flow. We chased shooters off the 3-point line and got our hands up. I also thought that we got stagnant in the third quarter and did not put our foot on the gas.”

Ulrich, whose team finished 25-2 a year ago, is an eye-popping 123-18 in her sixth year as the Penn head coach. She has guided the Kingsmen to Class 4-A state runner-up titles in both 2011 and 2014.

Senior Vicki Harris had five points and seniors Carlson and Clemens three each. Sophomores Dayton Groninger and Madi Graham each finished with two points. Clemens had seven rebounds and Miller six.

Dayton Groninger tries to get past Penn’s Lauren Ellenberger.

Junior Claire Carlton had nine points, junior Camryn Buhr six and senior Lauren Ellenberger five for Penn. The Kingsmen shot 14-29 overall from the field, including 5-12 on 3-pointers.

Penn won the junior varsity game 33-30. Jessie Kersey led Warsaw with 18 points. Elli Mott paced Penn with nine points.

Warsaw plays at Concord Saturday in a key Northern Lakes Conference game. The Tigers are 4-1 in the conference and sit in second place behind NorthWood. Penn hosts Northern Indiana Conference foe South Bend Riley Thursday night.