Harrogate, Tenn. – The King University women's basketball team opened its 2025–26 season on the road Friday afternoon, falling 92–45 to Lincoln Memorial inside B. Frank Turner Arena. The Tornado (0–1, 0–0 Conference Carolinas) showed fight throughout the contest, with several players stepping into key roles and providing bright spots to build on as the season gets underway.
First Half
King battled early, with
Jaelyn West scoring five points in the opening quarter to keep the Tornado within striking distance. Lincoln Memorial's hot shooting from beyond the arc helped the Railsplitters take a 23–11 lead after the first.
In the second quarter, King's defense tightened, holding LMU to just 26 percent shooting.
Alayna Smith and
Thea Palmore contributed on the boards, helping the Tornado limit second-chance opportunities. At halftime, King trailed 39–20 but showed resilience against a strong opponent.
Second Half
The Tornado found their best rhythm in the third quarter, scoring 17 points behind West and
Mary Elizabeth Fox, who combined for 10 in the frame. Palmore added six rebounds, while
Samantha Lee chipped in four points and five boards to keep King competitive.
Lincoln Memorial pulled away late with a strong fourth quarter, but King continued to battle until the final buzzer, showing determination and effort that will serve them well moving forward.
Match Highlights
Final Score: Lincoln Memorial 92, King 45
Score by Quarter: King 11–9–17–8 | LMU 23–16–25–28
King Leaders
Looking Ahead
While the result didn't go King's way, the Tornado gained valuable experience against a talented Lincoln Memorial squad. With contributions from both veterans and newcomers, King showed flashes of strong rebounding, defensive effort, and balanced scoring.
The Tornado will look to build on those positives as they continue their non-conference schedule and prepare for Conference Carolinas play.
