LORMAN, Miss. – Five Lady Braves scored in double digits as the Alcorn State University women's basketball improved to 3-0 in a 76-35 wire-to-wire victory over Blue Mountain College Friday night at the Davey L. Whitney Complex.
Senior guard Tia Sanders scored 18 points with seven rebounds to lead the Lady Braves. She shot 9-11 (81.8 percent) from the field, including 1-4 (25.0 percent) from beyond the arc, and added a career-high seven rebounds with four assists and a pair of steals. Close behind was senior guard Alexus Freeman with 17 points, five boards, seven assists, and a career-high seven steals. Also reaching double-digit points were junior guard Cloe Lane with 15 and senior forward Miracle Rushing and junior guard Kristian Dewitt with 10 each.
As a team, the Lady Braves shot 34-66 (51.5 percent) from the floor, 4-12 (33.3 percent) from long-range, and 4-6 (66.7 percent) at the charity stripe.
Alcorn's defense played a big role in the game as the Lady Braves forced 26 turnovers and grabbed 19 steals. The team also controlled the glass, out-rebounding the visitors 40-29.
"Our game plan was to play defense first," said head coach Courtney G. Pruitt. "We wanted to utilize our bench tonight and work on the defensive aspect of our game. We've been preaching in practice that if we're going to be successful, our bench must get going. The ladies bought in and really focused on that tonight. I think we did a decent job, but we still aren't close to where we should be."
Rushing opened the scoring with a steal and fast-break layup and Sanders followed with a jumper early in the opening period. After the Lady Toppers (0-6) scored a basket coming out of the 4:34 media timeout, Alcorn took off on a 12-0 run, highlighted by a pair of Lane three balls, to pull ahead 22-6. The teams then traded baskets to end the first 10 minutes of play.
The Lady Braves really stepped up the pressure in the second quarter, holding BMC to just three points on 1-12 (8.3 percent) shooting from the field and a 1-2 effort at the line. Alcorn added 21 to their total to head into the break with a comfortable 45-12 advantage.
BMC played a closer second half, but couldn't overcome the hole they had dug for themselves. The Lady Toppers converted 6-8 (75.0 percent) freebies in the third and made 6-13 (46.2 percent) shots from the floor in the final quarter, but Alcorn was able to match their effort.
Alcorn dominated the specialty stats, scoring more points in the paint (44-14), more points off turnovers (28-15), more second-chance points (14-10), and more fast-break points (20-0). Alcorn's bench also outscored Blue Mountain's 29-0.
The Lady Braves open next week on the road as they play a 5:30 p.m. game at Central Arkansas Monday night at the Farris Center.
NOTES
- With the win, Alcorn is 3-0 to start the season for the first time since the 1998-99 season.
-Â The 41-point margin of victory is Alcorn's largest since a 104-30 win against Arkansas Baptist on Dec. 4, 2004.
- The Lady Braves allowed just three points in the third quarter. Last season, the mark for fewest points surrendered in a quarter was six points (occurred three times).
- The 45 points scored in the first half was just one point shy of Alcorn's season high. The Lady Braves scored 46 in the second half versus LeMoyne-Owen College on Wednesday.
- Alcorn ended the second quarter with 12 unanswered and scored a pair of free throws to open the second half. The 14 consecutive points scored are a season high.
- Rushing was two boards shy of her third double-double in as many games this season. She finished the night with 10 points, eighth rebounds, two assists, and three steals.
- Lane set career highs with 15 points, seven rebounds, and 21 minutes played.Â
-Â Dewitt had career marks in points (10), field goals made (4), and steals (2).
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