Box Score BOX SCORE
JACKSON, Tenn. – The Westminster women's basketball team used a big second half run to rally past Lambuth (Tenn.) University and come away with a 67-55 win. The Griffins will move on to the second round of the 2010 NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Championship in Jackson, Tenn., on Friday where they will face the winner of the game between Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) and Oklahoma Christian.
The two squads battled back and forth in the first half, with neither team being able to take a lead larger than five points. Lambuth forced 10 Westminster turnovers in the first half, converting those opportunities in to 11 points. Despite the turnovers, the Griffins held a 26-25 lead heading in to the intermission, thanks, in large part to the cold shooting Lady Eagles, who shot 9-of-32 (0.281) from the field.
Lambuth controlled the start of the second half, developing leads as large as six points over the Griffins three times. It all changed at the 10:07 mark in the second half when Westminster's
Candace Smith buried a 3-point basket to pull the Griffins within three and start a 27-4 run over a span of 8:33. Westminster hit four threes over that time span, turning the momentum and running away with a 67-55 victory.
The Griffins heated up from the floor in the second half, shooting 15-of-26 (57.7%) from the field and 4-of-7 (57.1%) from the behind the 3-point line in the second half. Westminster also controlled the glass, out-rebounding the Lady Eagles 44-34.
Freshman
Nicole Yazzie led the Griffins with 23 points and eight rebounds on 8-of-19 (0.421) shooting. McKensie Jessop (14 points),
Dani Evans (13 pts) and
Keshia Catten (11 pts) rounded out the double-figure scorers for the Griffins. Evans added 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.
Lambuth was led by LaTonya McKinney with 15 points, while Janee Webb and Kristin Brison contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The win improves the Griffins to 27-6 overall on the season, while Lambuth ends its season with a record of 19-10.
