Todd Ryals

Jones Reaches 500 in Wildcats Win

12/14/2017 11:21:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score

Another strong second half performance for the Louisiana College women's basketball team led them to their sixth win of the season on Thursday night at Rapides Coliseum. A staggering 73-34 rebound margin led to 39 second chance points for LC in the 91-78 victory over Sul Ross State University. The Lady Wildcats return to action Saturday against American Southwest Conference West Division foe Howard Payne at 2:00 pm.

The early game plan for Sul Ross was to throw as many long balls at the goal as possible, and through the first half, that was what kept them in the game and in the lead for a large part of the first 20 minutes. The Lobos took eight shots from behind the arc in the first quarter, converting on three, but it was enough to hold a 24-20 lead at the end of the first. LC cut into an eight point Sul Ross lead by scoring the final four points on a Lakedra Franklin free throw and Shardae Melancon three with 11 seconds left in the opening quarter.

The second quarter was one of runs for both teams as LC started with six straight to take the lead, only to be answered by seven in a row from Sul Ross to go back on top 31-26 with 6:45 left in the half. The Wildcats came back with a 10-0 run to go ahead 36-31 with just over three minutes to go. Two more shots from behind the arc by Sul Ross in the final two minutes gave them the slim 39-37 lead at the break.

The first 7:35 of the third quarter belonged solely to the Wildcats as they began to show their depth and ability to score from anywhere on the floor. The Wildcats outscored Sul Ross 21-8 during that stretch to push their lead into double figures at 58-47. The threat from the outside by the guards opened things up underneath the basket for Brooke Jones and Zharian Maxmillion who combined for 15 of the 21 points during the dominant run. The Lobos though did not quit on the game as they responded with a 10-5 stretch to finish the quarter down by two possessions 63-57.

Unaffected by the Lobos run at the end of the quarter, the Wildcats scored the first nine points of the fourth, including back-to-back daggers from Shardae Melancon from the right corner, to push the LC lead to 15 at 72-57 just 90 seconds into the quarter. One last ditch push with four minutes left eventually got the Lobs back within five but good free throw shooting at the end of the game secured the Wildcats sixth win of the year.

Brooke Jones picked got an important offensive rebound after a missed free throw that would have given the ball back to Sul Ross down by six. It put the ball back in the Wildcats hands, and Jones at the line, but also served as her 500^th career rebound at Louisiana College. The senior from Covington finished the game with a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Three other Wildcats had double-digit scoring nights including Kourtney McGhee and Shardae Melancon each with 11, and Zharian Maxmillion with 10 points. Rachel Johnson and Jonika Walton both had 13 rebounds in the game, with Walton just missing a double-double of her own with nine points.

The Wildcats return to Rapides Coliseum for the final time in 2017 on Saturday afternoon. The host defending ASC West champion Howard Payne with a 2pm tip-off. 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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