After a seven-game losing streak the Lady Lions finally picked up a win last Saturday against Nicholls State University 78-68 improving their record to (4-19, 3-9 SLC). The Lady Lions had a season-high shooting percentage of 55.8 and dominated the game rebounding with a 42-24 advantage.
“I am very pleased with our performance,” said Head Lady Lions basketball coach Yolanda Moore. “We had been on a seven or eight game losing streak. It was so many I lost count. But, for them to have the resolve to come out and not let the losses interfere with them coming out and playing today’s game, I was very pleased with them.”
The Lady Lions kept the game close with the Colonels after the first quarter down 25-22. In the second quarter, The Lady Lions fell behind early on by six, but sophomore guard Taylin Underwood made a 3-pointer, one of four, for the Lady Lions and senior forward Nanna Pool hit a jumper making the score 27-28 with 7:32 to go in the first half. The Colonels kept the Lady Lions at bay until another jumper was made by Pool with 53 seconds left taking the lead and making the score 35-34 going into halftime. Pool got 11 points and 11 rebounds in the first 20 minutes of the game.
The second half opened with a jumper from Pool and a three from Underwood making the score 40-34 at 8:22. A jumper from Pool made the score 45-36 with 6:02 left in the third quarter. A three-point play pushed the lead to 58-47 with 2:30 remaining in the quarter. The Colonels made three free throws before the end of the third quarter to pull it close at 62-54. But, that is as close as the Colonels could get as junior forward Chey Stewart made a jumper out of her 18 point performance to extend the lead to double digits 66-54 at the 7:41 mark. Two free throws by Pool made the score 74-61 with one minute left effectively putting the game out of reach for the Colonels.
The Lady Lions shot 56 percent in the second half and had three players’ score in double figures. Underwood scored 20 points and had six rebounds while shooting 4-8 from three-point range. Senior guard KaeLynn Boyd finished with a double-double, 18 points and a career-high 10 assists. Pool also finished the game with a double-double her ninth of this season, with 23 points and a career-high and school record 22 rebounds. Pool has broken the record previously held by Deneka Knowles that was set against Grambling in the 1992-93 season.
“It feels fantastic to get this win today,” said Pool. “We played as a team and worked hard to win.”
The Lady Lions next game will be against UNO Thursday at 7:00 p.m. This will be the annual Pack The House night for Lady Lion basketball. The first 300 students to enter the University Center will receive a free spirit item. This will also be their last home game in what has been a four home game stretch.
“We need a repeat performance on the defensive end,” said Moore. “We just need to stay focused, not deviate from what we do and not try to be a team that we are not. We are not an up and down team. We are not the fastest team. But we are efficient and that is what we need to stick to.”
For more information on Pack The House or to see the Lady Lions schedule visit lionsports.net.