ROLLA, Mo. – Thanks to a solid defensive effort and some timely baskets, Missouri S&T's women's basketball team got into the win column in Great Lakes Valley Conference play Thursday night as it defeated Rockhurst 74-60 at Gibson Arena.
Rockhurst came into the game fresh off a win Saturday over GLVC leader Lewis, but after the teams were tied following the first quarter of play, S&T dominated the second quarter and kept the Hawks at bay throughout the second half to pick up its first GLVC win after nine setbacks.
The game was tied at 23 after 10 minutes of play, but the Miners held the Hawks (9-5, 6-4 GLVC) to a three-of-17 mark from the field in the second quarter as it took control of the contest. S&T opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run, going in front on a lay-in by
Katelynne Roberts (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) and extended the lead on a basket by
Bonnie Lew Ludlow (Indianapolis, IN/Covenant Christian) and a three-pointer by
Addyson Kent (North Vernon, IN/Jennings County).
Rockhurst got its first points of the quarter nearly three minutes in on a put-back by Rebeca Garcia, but S&T continued its offensive surge as it scored the next nine points, closing the run on another basket by Roberts at the 4:24 mark. The Hawks didn't get their next points until 4:12 remained in the half and the Miners were able to build as much as a 16-point lead before the period ended.
S&T led 45-30 at the half and maintained its double figure lead during the early stages of the second half until the Hawks cut the margin to nine on a Macie Conway basket with 5:53 left in the third quarter. Roberts put the lead back into double figures again on the next trip down the floor and it would grow back to as much as 14 late in the quarter and stayed in double figures for the duration of the night.
The Hawks were within 10 early in the fourth quarter, but both teams went into a scoring drought that the Miners finally broke on a Roberts basket with 6:43 to go. As the Hawks continued to struggle from the field,
Franchesca Metz (Downers Grove, IL/Nazareth Academy) drained a three-pointer with 4:24 remaining to extend the lead to 15.
Rockhurst trimmed the lead to 11, but a Kent three-pointer with just under three and a half minutes left put the game well in hand for the Miners, as the Hawks ended up making only three of their 16 field goal attempts in the fourth quarter and closed the night at 31.5 percent to S&T's 45.8 percent mark.
Roberts recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 22 points and 12 rebounds while adding five blocked shots and was joined in double figures by Kent with 13 points that included four three-pointers.
Chorus Davis (Kansas City, MO/Lincoln College Prep) also reached double figures in the rebounding column as she pulled down a career-best 13.
Conway had 18 points and Allison McFarren had 12 for Rockhurst – whose leading scorer, Keegan Sullivan, was held to two points on one-of-eight shooting on the night. The Hawks also made only five-of-28 from three-point range.
Missouri S&T returns to action Saturday as it hosts William Jewell at Gibson Arena at 1 p.m.
