SHERMAN, Texas – Bryce Frank notched a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds and Kendra Rainey scored 20 points off the bench to lead the Austin College women's basketball team to an 89-79 victory over East Texas Baptist University on Wednesday afternoon in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos improve to 3-1 overall this season with the victory.
Five players reached double digits in the scoring column for Austin College and the 'Roos hounded ETBU into 30 turnovers, coming away with 21 steals in the process, with Frank, Rainey, and Meghan Lewis recording four steals each. The 'Roos jumped out to a huge early lead, scoring 17 unanswered to open the game before ETBU's Delia Hopkins scored to make it 17-2 with 4:56 left in the opening quarter.
Austin College took a 27-12 lead into the second frame, and the lead grew to 35-17 on a three pointer by Rainey with 6:41 left before halftime. After Caitlyn Collins scored to make it 39-21, however, ETBU used a 16-7 run to close out the half and head into the locker room trailing just 46-37.
The margin narrowed to 48-42 early in the third quarter before Olivia Cicci knocked down a three, and Collins scored six in a row to push it to a 60-47 Austin College lead with 3:03 left in the period. The 'Roos would head into the fourth quarter with an 18 point lead following a basket by Rainey to make it 70-52.
East Texas Baptist cut it to single digits on a layup by Hopkins that made it 74-65 with 5:27 left on the clock, but a three pointer from Kendall Heitmeier highlighted an 8-3 run that pushed Austin College's cushion back to 82-68 with 2:37 remaining. ETBU would not go away down the stretch, however, pulling to within six points at 85-79 with 39 seconds left before Austin College sealed the win with four free throws in the game's closing moments.
Frank hit 6-of-13 shots to get to 18 points and added three assists, and Rainey knocked down 9-of-12 free throws on her way to 20 points. Cicci hit 3-of-7 three pointers to finish with a career-best 12 points, and Collins added 12 points off the bench. Heitmeier added 10 points for the 'Roos, while Ann Savage chipped in nine points and five boards. Olivia Bailey had nine rebounds, five points, and five assists in the victory.
Hannah Holt scored 18 to lead ETBU, while Sade' Murrell and Malaisia Chisolm each scored 12 for the Tigers. Lauren Lee added 10 points in the loss or ETBU.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.