Hot Shooting Pirates Top 'Roo Women's Hoops

Southwestern University knocked down 14 three pointers on their way to handing the Austin College women's basketball team a 66-54 loss on Friday night in Hughey Gym in the first Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference contest for both teams. The 'Roos are now 3-3 overall and 0-1 in conference play. 

Both teams got off to a slow start offensively, with the 'Roos jumping out to a 5-0 lead after five minutes of action, but the Pirates got three triples to grab an 11-10 lead with 12:45 to go in the opening half. The score was knotted at 15 with just under seven minutes left in the first half before Chelsea Leeder connected on four three pointers and scored 14 points overall over the final six minutes to propel the Pirates to a 33-18 halftime lead. 

Southwestern got a pair of threes from Valerie Logan to extend their lead to 41-24 early in the second half, and the lead grew to as much as 20 with just under 17 minutes remaining. Austin College got a trey from Shayna Clardy, a three point play from Christina Kime and a basket from Brittany Stepanski to cut it to a 44-32 game with 13:13 left, but Southwestern scored the next six points including another three from Leeder to extend the margin to 50-32. 

A jumper by Erin Riley with 1:48 remaining got the deficit back into single digits at 61-52, but a three from Audrey Garcia would ice the game for the Pirates as they handed the 'Roos the 12 point defeat. 

Brooke Melton scored 18 points and had 15 rebounds and three steals to lead the 'Roos, and Clardy hit 3-of-4 from deep on her way to 11 points. Riley finished with nine points and five boards and Kime handed out a game-high five assists. 

Leeder knocked down seven threes on her way to 29 points to lead all scorers and added six rebounds, and Jordan Owens added 10 points and seven boards for the Pirates. 

Austin College will be looking to pick up its first SCAC victory tomorrow when they host Trinity University at 6:00 p.m. 

Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. 

About Austin College 

Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope's influential book Colleges that Change Lives.