BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University women's basketball team used a pair of big runs in the second period and another at the beginning of the third period to gain an advantage over rival Lees-McRae College. The Tornado made that lead standup behind four scorers in double figures, topping the Bobcats 69-55.
THE BASICS
FINAL: King 69, Lees-McRae 55
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 6-19, 6-11 Conference Carolinas; Lees-McRae 2-20, 1-16 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
- Baskets from Michelle Gallegos and Aroa Garcia gave King an early 4-0 lead, but the Bobcats came back and evened the score.
- Lees-McRae scored six straight points to take a 12-8 lead before a Garcia triple.
- The Bobcats closed the quarter on a 4-1 run to take a 16-12 lead into the second period.
Second Period
- Lees-McRae scored the first points of the period, but King responded with eight straight points on triples from Jhayda McKinney and Jaden Potts around an Alexa Gramann jump shot.
- Following a Bobcat basket that evened the score with 6:43 remaining, King closed the quarter on a 13-0 run.
- McKinney started the spurt with a trifecta and later made a layup before a Jaelyn West triple.
- Tori Smiley made a pair of layup in the final 1:16 to give King a 33-20 lead at the break.
- King outscored Lees-McRae 21-4 in the second period, holding the Bobcats to a 14.3 field goal percentage.
- King shot 42.1 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from three in the second quarter.
Third Period
- King scored the first eight points of the third quarter, extending their lead to 41-20 before the Bobcats scored for the first time in nearly 10 minutes.
- Gramann made six free throws on the run before a Jada Campbell jump shot capped the spurt.
- King extended their lead to 22 on numerous occasions throughout the quarter and held a 55-37 lead going to the fourth period.
Fourth Period
- The Tornado held the lead at 22 for the first five minutes of the final period before the Bobcats chipped away down the stretch.
- King came away with the 69-55 win with four scorers in double figures.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Gramann led the way with 12 points and six rebounds while West added 11 points and four rebounds.
- Garcia posted 10 points and eight rebounds.
- McKinney chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds.
FOR THE FOES
- Aurora Roberts led the way for Lees-McRae with 15 points.
- Sandra Mason snared a team-high seven rebounds.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Garcia set career-highs with 10 points and eight rebounds, topper her previous highs of three and four, respectively.
UP NEXT
- King stays at home to face Converse University on Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
- Lees-McRae travels to Southern Wesleyan University on Wednesday night.
