West Leads 'Roos Past Schreiner

SHERMAN, Texas - Kacie West poured in 26 points, just two shy of matching her career-high, and the Austin College women's basketball team held off Schreiner University for an 83-76 victory on Friday in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos have now won four in a row to improve to 6-9 overall and 5-2 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

West scored 14 points in the second quarter alone, knocking down 4-of-5 from long range in that frame to help Austin College push a 20-18 first quarter lead to 48-39 at the break. The 'Roos scored 28 points in the second quarter, hitting 62.5% of their attempts in the period, and Sarah Gwin knocked down three free throws after drawing a foul on a three point attempt with 0.5 seconds left on the clock. Gwin finished the game with 17 points, matching her season best output. 

Schreiner started strong in the third quarter, cutting it to 48-45 with 6:55 on the clock, and after Austin College pushed the margin to 54-47 the Mountaineers scored five in a row to trim it to a two point game. Naomi Anamekwe scored for Austin College to make it 56-52, but Schreiner got one more bucket to cut it to 56-54 heading into the fourth. The Mountaineers kept it close early in the fourth, but after Natalie McCoy forced a turnover Gwin knocked down a jumper to push it to 68-61 with 3:41 left to play. Sarah Putnicki followed that up with a baseline jumper to make it 70-61, and after Schreiner trimmed it to a six point game at 72-66, McCoy converted a three point play to push it to 75-66 with 1:22 left and the 'Roos would hang on from there.

West finished the game going 8-of-18 from the field and 5-of-11 from deep, while also knocking down all five of her free throw attempts. Gwin went 7-of-7 from the free throw line to get her 17, adding four assists, and Putnicki had 16 points and eight rebounds. McCoy paced the 'Roos with five assists. Four players reached double digits for Schreiner, with Elisa Peralta coming off the bench to score 17 to lead the Mountaineers.