DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - St. Norbert College opened up its two-game swing to the Sunshine State with a 61-46 win over Southern Virginia University in the Daytona Beach Shootout at Ocean Center.

The Green Knights improved to 8-1 on the season, matching their best start since the 2012-13 season.

St. Norbert started quickly, opening a 6-0 lead on a pair of 3-pointers from Casey Jepson and Chloe Gruszynski. The Knights, who finished 25-5 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament last season, went on a 9-2 run to take a 9-8 lead. The Green Knights answered with a basket from Gruszynski and another trey from Jepson for a 13-9 lead with 2:35 left in the first quarter. St. Norbert led 19-15 at the end of the first quarter.

The Green Knights had a pair of six-point leads in the second quarter, the latter at 26-23 with 6:01 left after an Emma Morrisey 3-pointer. Southern Virginia then went on a quick 4-0 run to take a 27-26 lead with 3:31 left before halftime, but baskets by Kaycee Gierczak and Olivia DeCleene followed by a triple from Gruszynski sent St. Norbert into the locker room ahead 33-27.

St. Norbert continued to hold its lead throughout the third quarter. The Green Knights led 40-37 with 4:55 left in the period and then went on a 10-2 run to break the game open. DeCleene's conventional three-point play with 1 second left in the quarter gave St. Norbert a 50-39 lead.

St. Norbert's lead would eventually balloon to 19 points late in the game.

The Green Knights shot 34.4 percent (21-for-61) from the floor. Jepson led St. Norbert with 15 points, while Gruszynski added 14 points, DeCleene 13 points and Gierczak and 11 points.

Southern Virginia shot 38 percent (19-for-50) from the floor and outrebounded the Green Knights 40-36. Alyssa McKrola led the Knights with 12 points.