WILMORE, Ky. --- On Friday night the AU women's basketball squad (7-7, 4-1 CCS) took on Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) foe Belhaven University (7-8, 4-3 CCS) in the squad's first ever match-up, with AU pulling away to a 80-69 win.
Asbury was led in scoring by senior mulit-media journalism major
Haleigh Releford's 27 points. Releford was honored pre-game for recently eclipsing the 1,000 point mark and becoming the 14th Lady Eagle to do such. The Stanford, KY native added five rebounds and three steals on the night.
The Eagles were paced by sophomore elementary education major
Emily Sizemore and senior psychology major
Camryn Preston. Sizemore finished the night 18 points and four steals, while Preston poured in 16 points and a team-high eight boards.
Sophomore exercise science major
Ma'Kiya West filled the stat sheet in her second start of the season. West scored five points, grabed six rebounds, and dished five assists in the balanced attack.
AU out-scored the Blazers in three out of the four periods of the game, BU taking the 20-15 edge in the fourth.
Belhaven was led in scoring by Ally Alford's 25 on 6-12 from three-point range. Ashanti Lipscomb added 13 while Ebony Gayden put up eight points and eight boards for the Blazers.
AU grabbed 38 rebounds, out-rebounding the Blazers by five in the department.
The Eagles shot 28-68 (41%) from the field while Belhaven shot 24-65 and 37%. BU converted on 10 three-point attempts, while AU converted on five.
Asbury committed 16 turnovers on 11 Blazer steals, Belhaven committed 23 turnovers on 12 steals for the Eagles.
Asbury scored just 12 bench points, as Belhaven got 32 from their bench, 25 coming from Ally Alford.
There were eight lead changes during the match, and four times the score was tied.
Belhaven falls to 4-3 in league play, while Asbury improves their standing to 4-1 in the CCS, and second place overall in the conference.
The two teams will meet back up in Jackson, MS on February 15th at 2 PM
Asbury is back in action on Saturday January 25th, in a rematch against Piedmont at 2 PM in the Luce Center.
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Haleigh Releford | 27 PTS (9-17 FG), 5 REB, 3 STL
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Emily Sizemore | 18 PTS (7-15 FG), 4 AST, 2 STL
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Camryn Preston | 16 PTS (7-12 FG), 8 REB
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Ma'Kiya West | 5 PTS, 5 AST, 6 REB
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Liz Boyd | 4 PTS, 6 REB
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Morgan Flannery | 4 STL, 3 REB
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