WILMORE, Ky. --- Out-scoring LaGrange (10-9, 4-6 CCS) 24-8 in the fourth quarter, Asbury (13-7, 10-1 CCS) jolted past the Panthers for a 68-53 win and their tenth consecutive conference victory.
Asbury was led in scoring by senior multi-media journalism major
Haleigh Releford's 20 points and eight rebounds. Releford also came away with a team-high five steals, now averaging 4.1 steals in her last six games.
AU was paced in scoring by sophomore elementary education major
Emily Sizemore and senior psychology major
Camryn Preston. Sizemore added 17 points and eight rebounds, while Preston poured in 11, eight rebounds, and three blocks. Releford, Sizemore, and Preston combined for 48 of AU's 68 points.
Sophomore biology major
Juleigh Anne Tucker was perfect beyond the arc hitting both of her three-pointers and adding six points. Tucker is shooting 41% from deep on the year and 67% over her last four games.
AU out-scored the Panthers in two of the four frames. LC and AU tied the first and the Panthers won the third frame. Asbury trailed LaGrange by one heading into the fourth, AU then went on a 24-8 run through the fourth, grabbing their tenth straight win 68-53.
The Eagles controlled the paint scoring 26 points inside the paint, while LC scored 16.
LaGrange was led in scoring Kendra Roberts' 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Panthers were paced in scoring by Laila Battle's 13 and Britney Chavez's 11. The three combined for 40 of LaGrange's 53 points.
The Eagles edged out the Panthers 40-39 in the rebounding department, AU pulled down 10 ORB while LC came away with 14. Asbury turned the 10 into nine second chance points, LaGrange finishing with 15.
AU finished 19-55 (35%) from the field while the Eagles defense held LC to 17-67 (25%). AU drained six threes on the night, three coming from
Haleigh Releford and two coming from
Juleigh Anne Tucker, while the Panthers hit on seven.
Asbury committed 18 turnovers on eight Panthers steals, LaGrange committed 17 turnovers on 12 steals for the Eagles. Asbury turned the turnovers into 19 points, LC turning Eagle turnovers into 17. AU has now turned over their opponents double-digit times in 18 of their 20 games.
Asbury scored 13 bench points, while LC put in eight.
There were eight lead changes throughout the game and eight times the game was tied in the back and forth affair.
LaGrange drops to 4-6 in the conference, while Asbury improves their standing to 10-1 in the CCS.
The game was the last between the Panthers and Eagles on the year, AU sweeping the season series 2-0.
"Tonight was a great win for us. The Lagrange game always is a tough game no matter where we play. We struggled a bit in the first half, but we found our rhythm at the end of the third quarter. Relly and Em played big for us, and today was Relly's birthday, so that was special. In the end, it was the defense that made the plays down the stretch, along with some timely shooting."
Chad Mayes | Head Women's Basketball Coach
Asbury plays the second of a back-to-back tomorrow against Huntingdon at the Luce Center at 2 PM on Senior Day.
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Haleigh Releford | 20 PTS, 8 REB, 5 STL
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Emily Sizemore | 17 PTS (9-10 FT), 8 REB
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Camryn Preston | 11 PTS, 8 REB, 3 BLK
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Juleigh Anne Tucker | 6 PTS (2-2 3PT)
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Ma'Kiya West | 8 REB
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Liz Boyd | 4 REB
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