Todd Ryals

Lady Wildcats Finish Strong for Thrilling Win

12/2/2017 8:03:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score

The Louisiana College women's basketball team battled through the fourth quarter to erase a six point lead over the final four minutes to pick up a thrilling 69-68 win over Hardin-Simmons University. The win moves LC to 5-2 on the year and 1-1 in American Southwest Conference play. The Lady Wildcats will travel to McNeese State University for an exhibition game on December 11 before returning to Rapides Coliseum for a pair of conference games December 14 and 16.

In a matchup two teams with similar player profiles, the game was tightly contest from start to finish. Senior center Brooke Jones came out of the locker room on fire scoring the Wildcats first nine points of the game. She would go on to score 14 of LC's 21 first quarter points, but despite her ability to under the basket, the Wildcats still trailed 23-21 after the first 10 minutes of play.

The second quarter was no different from the first as the two teams continued to trade baskets on each end of the floor. The Wildcats held the lead for the majority of the quarter, but could only build it as high as five points one time on a runner by Kourtney McGhee with 2:55 left in the half. A pair of free throws and a layup with seven seconds left by Hardin-Simmons sent the game into the half tied at 38.

The Cowgirls, for the bulk of the 10-minute period, controlled the third quarter. An 11-4 run to start the second half put HSU on top 49-42 with 6:26 left in the quarter. LC pulled within four on a couple different occasions but were unable to get any closer as HSU found answers on their end of the court each time. Down by nine with 2:58 to go the Wildcats finished the quarter with four points from the free throw line to cut into the lead but a last second shot gave HSU a 58-51 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Still with work to do to climb back into the game, the Wildcats continued to chip away at the lead finding a way to answer the Hardin-Simmons offense. The Cowgirls maintained their lead through eight minutes of fourth quarter, after a 6-0 run by LC tied the game at 65 with 2:05 to go. Two free throws put HSU back on top but Brook Jones answered with a layup, a steal, and another basket in the span of seven seconds to put the Wildcats ahead 69-67 with just over a minute remaining.

A foul with 27 seconds left sent HSU's Danie Mabry to the free throw line with a chance to tie the game. Mabry made her first but missed her second leaving HSU one point shy. A turnover on the inbound play though gave the Cowgirls one last chance to win the game. A three-point shot with just one tick left on the clock came up short and the Wildcats earned their first win in Rapides Parish Coliseum.

Despite going 0-for-17 from behind the three point line, LC mustered enough offense to escape with the win. Brooke Jones lead all scorers with 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Rachel Johnson and Kourtney McGhee also finished in double figures with 10 points each. McGhee also added six rebounds and four assists to her line. Jonika Walton pulled in 12 rebounds for LC in the game including four offensive boards.

The Wildcats return to play on December 11 in an exhibition game at McNeese State before hosting Sul Ross State on December 14 at Rapides Coliseum. Stay connected to Louisiana College women's basketball 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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