Todd Ryals

Wildcats Win 84-79 over Millsaps

11/26/2017 6:12:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score

The Louisiana College women's basketball team finished their post-Thanksgiving trip to Jackson, Miss. with another win on Sunday afternoon taking down Millsaps College 84-79. Four different players scored in double figures for the Wildcats in the victory that improves them to 4-1 on the season. LC will open American Southwest Conference play this Thursday at Rapides Parish Coliseum against McMurry University.

The Wildcats fell behind early on two Dia Fortenberry buckets underneath the basket, but a fast break layup and three pointer on consecutive possessions by Taylor Payne erased the deficit and put the Wildcats ahead 9-7 three minutes into the game. LC held the advantage through the next three minutes of play until back-to-back three pointers from Millsaps put them back on top by two. A RyDeja McQuarn three answered the Majors effort but Millsaps held a 19-16 lead with one minute to go in the first. A quick 6-0 run to finish the quarter by the Wildcats put them ahead 22-19 after the first 10 minutes.

That would be the final lead change of the game as the Wildcats began to pull away from Millsaps in the second quarter. Two quick baskets from Rachel Johnson and Kourtney McGhee within the first 30 seconds of the quarter pushed the lead to seven. Millsaps would work their way back within two but the Wildcats answered with an 8-0 stretch, including six points from Brooke Jones to take a 10-point lead. The Wildcats maintained that margin through the end of the first half taking a 42-32 lead into the break.

The lead continued to grow in the third quarter, leading by as much as 14 before the Majors were able to find their way back into the game thanks to several trips to the free throw line. Millsaps went to the line a total of 12 times over the span of three minutes of the third quarter, converting on eight of their 12 shots to pull within five of the Wildcats. LC would end the third with a flurry of points, scoring seven in the final 30 seconds to push the lead back to double digits 64-52, erasing all the work the Majors had done.

LC carried their momentum into the fourth, pushing their lead to 15 on a three pointer from Johnson midway through the quarter. Millsaps though would once again find a grove and cut into the lead significantly over the final five minutes of play. The Majors outscored the Wildcats 21-11 over the final five minutes of play thanks in large part to six LC turnovers and six missed field goals. The Wildcats were able to make 9-of-15 free throws during that time however to prevent the Major comeback.

Four players scored in double figures for LC in the win, led by senior Brooke Jones with 16 points and eight rebounds. Janae Smith finished with 14, Rachel Johnson with 13, and RyDeja McQuarn with 11. Kourtney McGhee and Taylor Payne each had nine points on the night.

The Wildcats improve to 4-1 on the season and will begin ASC play this Thursday night as they play the first LC basketball game at Rapides Parish Coliseum. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. as the Wildcats host McMurry University. Stay connected to Louisiana College women's basketball all season by following @LC_WBB on Twitter. For general athletics news follow @LC_Wildcats on Twitter or like Louisiana College Wildcats on Facebook.

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