MEMPHIS-The Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs shot a season-high 50 percent from the floor as they earned a 67-62 win over Mississippi College Thursday night at Canale Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• The Lady Choctaws (5-12, 3-11 GSC) used an 11-2 run to take a 17-11 lead on a Chloe Roberts triple with 3:01 remaining in the first quarter.
• CBU (7-11, 5-9) answered with an 11-2 run of their own to take a 22-19 edge on a
Samantha Reeves (Somerville, Tenn./Fayette Academy) layup with 7:10 remaining in the second quarter.
• After the teams traded leads over the next two minutes, the Lady Bucs regained the lead for good as a
Rachel Lee (Jackson, Tenn./Jackson Christian School) triple sparked what became a 21-7 run capped by a
Mikaela Blissett (Oran, Mo./Scott County Central HS) layup that gave CBU a 45-33 lead with 4:32 remaining in the third quarter.
• The Lady Choctaws made a late push, using an 8-0 run to close within 62-60 on a Chloe Roberts jumper with 2:32 remaining, but buckets by
Ashley Schaefer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore HS) and Reeves preserved the lead as CBU ran the clock out on a 67-62 win.
KEY STATS:• Reeves scored 17 points and dished out a career-high six assists to go with four rebounds. She was 8-of-9 from the floor, including 1-of-2 at the free throw line.
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Courtney Banks (Memphis, Tenn./White Station HS) scored 13 with five assists.
• Lee added 11 points with two steals.
• Schaefer scred nine with 10 rebounds and two blocks.
• The Lady Bucs shot 50 percent (25-of-50) for the game, including 37.5 percent (6-of-16) from three-point range.
• Mississippi College shot 36.2 percent (25-of-69) overall, including just 9.1 percent (1-of-11) from beyond the arc.
• The Lady Choctaws out-rebounded CBU 42-33, including a 22-9 edge in offensive boards. The Lady Bucs committed 17 turnovers while forcing 13.
COACH SARAH CONDRA'S THOUGHTS:"It was huge for us, we really needed this one. It feels good to get back in the win column, it's been a while."
"Samantha Reeves was huge tonight. She's been huge for us all year long, and when she plays well we generally play well. I was really proud of all our post players tonight. With Lindsey Owen being out tonight, we're having to battle some really big teams."
"What we've really focused on the last few practices is not so much outside shooting but trying to get into a rhythm on drives and post feeds, get ourselves some easy buckets and our outside shooting will come along."
"I thought we took good shots tonight. And that's huge, when you're not forcing."
"I've been really pleased with Sara Owen and what she's done the last two games."
"I've gotta give our upperclassmen, our three captains Sam, Ashley and Courtney some credit. They've really kept our team afloat. After we've lost these last three we could have easily put our heads down, but we didn't."
"Blissett is just solid. She's not ever going to light it up for you, but she plays solid, you can depend on her. I told the team this week, players like Blissett, that come in here every day and work hard and care about our team. And she does it every day, not knowing whether she'll play 10 minutes, 2 minutes or no minutes. That's what you look for."
WHAT'S NEXT:The Lady Bucs return to action Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. as they host No. 22 Delta State.
