SHERMAN, Texas - The Austin College women's basketball got out to an early lead but couldn't sustain it against a hot-shooting Trinity squad on Saturday, falling 90-77 to the top-seeded Tigers in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Semifinals. The 'Roos finish the year with a record of 10-16 overall.
Kacie West knocked down a three to open up the scoring and the 'Roos continued their fast start, taking a 9-5 lead on a three from Natalie McCoy. After Austin College pushed the margin to 13-7 on a bucket by Sarah Putnicki with 5:59 left in the opening quarter, the Tigers started to battle back and took a 16-15 lead on a trey from Ashlyn Milton. West answered with a three of her own, and the 'Roos went ahead 20-17 with 2:33 left on two free throws from Katy Pool. However, Trinity would close the quarter with a 7-2 run to head into the second quarter leading 24-22.
The Tigers started taking control in the second, building a 42-30 lead with 3:06 left before halftime, and the margin would end up being 45-34 at the break. Trinity continued their hot streak into the third quarter, going on top 50-35, and the deficit grew to 53-37 on a triple by Milton with 7:11 on the clock. West hit another three and Sarah Gwin added a basket to cut it to 53-42, and the 'Roos eventually cut it to a single digit margin on a basket by McCoy with 2:32 left, making it 59-50. However, Trinity responded with an 8-2 run to end the quarter, heading into the fourth leading 67-52. In the fourth quarter, Trinity pushed it to a 20-point lead early and Austin College was unable to get the margin under 13 points the rest of the way.
West knocked down 6-of-10 from three on her way to 24 points, and McCoy finished with 15 points and nine assists. Putnicki added 15 points and eight rebounds, and Lauren Traylor also scored 15. Milton paced Trinity with 25 points, hitting 6-of-10 from three, as the Tigers knocked down a SCAC Women's Basketball Tournament record 16 treys.