MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The LaGrange College women's basketball team saw 11 players score Saturday, as junior guard Gracie Brunel tallied a game-high 14 points during a 67-50 USA South victory at Huntingdon.
Junior forward Breonna Glover (12 points, 5 rebounds) shot 5 of 6 from the field, while senior guard Jalaya Lewis finished with 11 points and six rebounds. Senior forward Megan English finished with six points and her seven boards were tied for the most in the game.
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"Today was a huge team win," said English. "Every player on the team contributed and played their role, giving us the necessary energy to come out on top. Winning huge conference games always feels good, but we still are not where we want to be as a team. We will continue to keep building each day."
Freshman guard Kendra Roberts took advantage of her 10 minutes off the bench, posting six points and three rebounds, while shooting 4 of 4 from the free-throw line and 1 for 1 from the field.
LaGrange's defense was on point, holding the Hawks (3-5, 0-4 USA South) to 11 or less points in each of the first three quarters. For the game, the Panthers limited Huntingdon to 25.9% shooting from the field and 20.0% on 3-pointers.
LC shot 42.6% from the field, going 23 of 54. The Panthers have won three straight games against Huntingdon, as LC swept the two-game series during the COVID-19-altered 2021 spring season.
"The defensive intensity was great and that needs to be a consistent force for us every night," said LaGrange College Women's Basketball Head Coach Jasen Jonus. "Everything starts with getting stops on the defensive end. On offense, it was a complete team effort. We shared the ball well. We can play many different lineups depending on the situation and that will serve us well as the season progresses."
A jumper by AB Davis with 6:24 remaining in the first quarter gave the Hawks a 6-4 advantage. Over the next 5:57, LaGrange embarked on a 12-0 run, taking a 16-6 lead on a 3-point shot by freshman guard Ema Turner with 27 seconds on the clock.
Huntingdon made a run in the second, trimming the deficit down to 19-18 on a trey by Cassidy Campbell with 5:15 left. The visitors ended the half on a 15-2 surge, grabbing a 34-20 halftime lead on two free throws by Lewis in the final seconds.
LC played an intelligent third quarter and did not allow Huntingdon to get closer than nine points. Glover and Brunel scored four points apiece in the frame and the Panthers went into the fourth with a 48-31 cushion.
LaGrange kept a double-digit lead for the entire fourth, with eight Panthers finding their way onto the scoreboard in the final 10 minutes. The bench scored nine of the team's 19 points in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers dominated the low-post game, holding a 36-14 advantage in points in the paint. LC's bench shot 10 of 21 from the field and scored 29 of the team's 67 points.
LC is 26-21 all-time against Huntingdon, as the first meeting between the programs occurred in 1999. The Panthers are 17-5 in Mariotti Gym during the series and the Hawks have gone 16-9 on their home court in the rivalry.
The Panthers compete against Mississippi University for Women Tuesday at 2 p.m. Eastern Time in Mariotti.
Assistant Sports Information Director Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lagrange.edu.
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