Box Score
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana senior center
Zevy Ivory posted her second double-double of the season, finishing with a career-high 21 points and 10 rebounds, but defending Southland Conference champion UTSA closed the game with an 8-0 run to defeat the Lady Lions, 61-49, in league women’s basketball action Saturday afternoon in the University Center.
The Lady Lions fell to 9-13 overall and 3-6 in league play, despite a career night from Ivory. UTSA improved to 12-9 overall and 6-2 in conference action, pulling away late in a game that featured six ties and nine lead changes.
While the Lady Lions did not emerge victorious, they accomplished their goal of raising breast cancer awareness, participating in the WBCA/Kay Yow Foundation Pink Zone initiative on Saturday. Over 30 breast cancer survivors were in attendance and were honored during halftime and proceeds from Saturday’s game will be donated to the Kay Yow Foundation.
Ivory was the lone Lady Lion in double figures. Sophomore guard
Kelli Jenkins added eight points and a career-high seven rebounds. Junior guard Chelsea Hix dished out three assists, while junior guard
Mary Fountain led the Lady Lions with a career-high three blocked shots.
UTSA sophomore guard Whitney York led all scorers with 23 points, while freshman center Whitney Wright added 15 points for the Roadrunners. Junior forward Ashley Franklin led UTSA with 10 rebounds and four assists.
Neither team could get much going offensively in a sluggish first half. York led all scorers with 11 points in the initial 20 minutes. UTSA held a 19-16 lead at the break after holding the Lady Lions to 20.7 percent (6-for-29) shooting in the opening half.
UTSA could not pull away early in the second half, as the Lady Lions kept the lead at five throughout the first 10 minutes of the first half. Methodically chipping away, Southeastern took its first lead at 34-33 on a jumper by junior center
Rachel Mackie with 10:18 remaining.
The lead changed hands four times over the next two minutes. Ivory gave Southeastern its last lead, 38-37, with a jumper with 8:10 left.
UTSA answered with a 9-0 run over the next 3:22, as a three-pointer by sophomore wing Cierra Martin ignited the rally. A jumper by junior guard Kameisha Johnson put the Roadrunners up, 46-38, with 4:48 left.
The Lady Lions would not go away quietly, however, as they battled back over the next three minutes. A three by Ivory cut the lead to 53-49 with 1:36 remaining.
That would be as close as Southeastern would get, as UTSA held them scoreless for the remainder of the game. York and junior guard Amber Gregg combined to go 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final minute to ice the game.
The Lady Lions will be back in action next Saturday, facing Nicholls at 2 p.m. in Thibodaux. That contest will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net.