'Roo Women Survive Scare From Centenary

SHERMAN, Texas –The Austin College women's basketball team withstood a late charge from visiting Centenary College behind 27 points and 10 rebounds from Bryce Frank, earning a 70-61 win on Tuesday evening in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos are now 14-3 overall and 7-1 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

The teams went back and forth early on, with Austin College taking an 8-5 lead on a three by Addison Walling before Centenary scored five straight to go ahead 10-8 with 5:59 left in the opening quarter. Threes from Kacie West and Walling helped Austin College go back on top 16-10, and the 'Roos would take a 23-15 lead into the second quarter.

Centenary would fight back to square things at 27 apiece on a triple from Savannah Doty, but the 'Roos countered with an 8-1 run capped off by a trey from West to make it 35-28 with 3:26 left before halftime. Austin College would end up heading into the break leading 38-32.

A three-point-play from Frank helped Austin College extend the lead to 43-34 early in the third, but the Ladies continued to hang around, eventually coming back to even things up at 54 apiece heading into the fourth. Centenary grabbed a 57-54 lead early in the fourth on a three from Darelzray Bellard, but Frank would score four in a row and Ann Savage buried a triple to put Austin College back on top 61-57 with 5:12 on the clock.

Kacie West scored five in a row and Frank added another bucket to push the margin to 68-59, and a pair of free throws from Reagan Chiaverini gave the 'Roos a 70-59 lead with just over a minute remaining. Centenary would add one final bucket to make it a 70-61 final.

Frank hit 8-of-15 shots and went 11-of-11 at the free throw line to get her 27 points, and grabbed eight of her 10 rebounds in the second half. Walling hit 3-of-5 from long range to end up with 13 points, and West chipped in 12 points off the bench. The 'Roos shot 36.1% from the field and hit just 6-of-20 triples in the game, but made 20-of-24 free throws.

Doty led the Ladies with 21 points, hitting 8-of-23 shots and 4-of-12 from three, while Priya Ponia came off the bench to score 11 as the only other Centenary player to reach double-digits. Centenary hit 9-of-23 triples, while the 'Roos forced the Ladies into 18 turnovers.

Austin College is home again on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. as the 'Roos host Schreiner University.

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