SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College women's basketball team sprinted out to a big lead and never looked back, topping Southwestern University 78-55 on Friday night for their seventh straight victory. The 'Roos are now 9-4 overall and 2-0 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
Austin College jumped out to a 7-0 lead, and after a bucket by Southwestern, the 'Roos added a 10-0 run to go on top 17-2 with 3:20 left in the opening frame. Baskets by Addison Walling and Reagan Chiaverini pushed the margin to 21-4, and the 'Roos would end the first quarter holding a 25-8 edge.
It was more of the same to start the second quarter, as Austin College out-scored the Pirates 14-4 in the first five minutes to go on top 39-12 after a three by Ann Savage. Southwestern would start to chip away at the margin, with a three pointer from Renee Walker getting it back under 20 points at 43-24 with 1:09 left before the break. However, a bucket from Mikayla Gascich gave Austin College a 45-24 cushion at halftime.
Savage opened the third quarter with a three pointer and Ally Longaker exploded for 10 quick points as Austin College took a 64-30 advantage with 3:55 left in the frame. The 'Roos would also get a pair of free throws from Kacie West and a basket by Andrea Selkow to end the third with a 69-37 lead, and the 'Roos would coast from there.
The 'Roos scored their final point of the game on a free throw by Meghan Lewis with 5:39 left in the fourth quarter, giving Austin College a 78-46 cushion before clearing the bench during the game's final minutes of action.
Longaker hit 7-of-10 shots on her way to 16 points, seven rebounds, and three blocked shots and Bryce Frank added 16 points and six boards. Savage finished with 11 points, hitting 3-of-5 from deep, and added five assists and three steals, and West chipped in 10 points off the bench. Walling handed out 11 assists, the most in a single game by an Austin College player since February of 2012.
Zhazze Brown came off the Southwestern bench to score 18 points as the only Pirate in double-figures, as the Pirates shot just 27.1% from the field and committed 20 turnovers in the game. Austin College shot 47.6% from the field and 38.9% from deep as a team.
Austin College will be looking to run its winning-streak to eight on Sunday as the 'Roos host Texas Lutheran University at 2:00 p.m.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
