WILMORE, Ky. --- Junior elementary education major
Emily Sizemore led the Asbury women's basketball (2-6, 1-0 CCS) with a career-high 35 points, powering the Eagles to a win in their first Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) matchup of the season against Piedmont University (2-5, 0-2 CCS), 84-79, on Wednesday night in Wilmore.
After a slow start in the first quarter, Asbury found its rhythm in the second, outscoring Piedmont 24–15 to take a 38–31 lead into halftime. Sizemore led the surge with 16 first-half points, while Ma'Kiya West and Anna Hellums each contributed timely threes to shift momentum.
Piedmont continued to battle behind a dominant performance inside from Ava Hunter, who posted 18 points and 10 rebounds. The Lions cut Asbury's lead to one late in the third, but the Eagles responded with a composed offensive stretch, highlighted by a deep three from Bre Jones and defensive pressure that forced 17 Piedmont turnovers.
In the fourth quarter, Asbury delivered its most efficient stretch of the night, shooting 69% from the field and making all five free throws. Sizemore closed out the game with 11 fourth-quarter points, sealing the Eagles' conference-opening victory.
AU's defensive pressure proved decisive, turning Piedmont's turnovers into 33 points and generating 19 fast-break points on the night.
Jones finished with 13 points and four rebounds, while West added 12 points and a block. Hellums chipped in 11 points, including three makes from beyond the arc, and Camryn Poole pulled down six boards with five steals.
"It's always great to start off conference play with a win. Piedmont was preseason #1 in the conference, and you saw why, because after we got the big lead they came all the way back and fought until the end. I was so proud of our team because they could have panicked and lost this game but didn't. Em had a huge game with 35 points, but Bre carried us in the first half, which was great to see. Now we just need to carry this effort the rest of the season."
Chad Mayes | Head Women's Basketball Coach
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Emily Sizemore | 35 PTS, 12-21 FG (Career-High)
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Bre Jones | 13 PTS, 4 REB
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Ma'Kiya West | 12 PTS, 5-8 FG
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Anna Hellums | 11 PTS, 3-6 3PT
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Camryn Poole | 5 STL, 6 REB
The Eagles will host Belhaven University on Saturday December 13 in Wilmore, Ky., at 2 pm
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