Box Score
After two straight G-MAC loses the Kentucky Wesleyan women's basketball team returned to the win column Saturday afternoon against Central State, winning 97-82. The Panthers are 15-7 on the season and 10-3 in conference play.
Following the victory over the Marauder the Panthers honored its four seniors:
T'Essence Phelps, Karly and
Kourtney Rhoads and
Shelbi Tyra. The four seniors have the winningest record as a class in KWC women's basketball history and helped guide the Panthers to its first ever NCAA tournament appearance in 2011. During the 2013 season the Panthers were GLVC east division champions and returned to the NCAA tournament.
The Panthers opened the game against Central State with a 7-0 run. The Marauder ended the KWC run by knocking down a jumper at the 18:15 mark. Central State pulled within four after hitting a jumper with 17:05 on the clock to make it an 11-7 game.
Karly Rhoads gave the Panthers its first double digit lead after making two free throw attempts to put the score at 22-11 with just under 14 minutes to play in the first half of place.
Central State came within nine of KWC at the 5:34 mark following a layup that put the score at 38-29, but the Marauder weren't able to stay within single digits during the remainder of the first half of action.
KWC headed into halftime with its largest lead of the half after freshman
Jennifer Walker-Crawford went one-for-two from the free throw line to make it a 51-35 game.
The Panthers hit 47 percent of its shots from the floor, 90 percent of its shots from the free throw line and 46 percent from beyond the arch.
Central State made 40 percent of its attempts from the floor and 50 percent of its free throw attempts, while going one-for-six from beyond the arch.
The Marauder began the second 20 minutes of play with a 5-0 run in just over the first minute of play to make it a 51-40 game.
Freshman
Erin Dorn put the Panthers ahead by 20 after converting on two free throw attempts with 10:52 remaining in the game to put the score at 77-57.
Central State hit a three pointer at the 8:33 mark to pull within 10 of the Panthers at 77-67. The Marauder weren't able to get any closer to KWC as the Panthers built a 19 point advantage with 2:22 on the clock, before going on to win the game 97-82.
The Panthers finished the game shooting 45 percent from the field, 86 percent from the stripe and 36 percent from three point range. The Marauder hit 40 percent of its shots from the floor, 68 percent from the free throw line and 33 percent from beyond the arch.
Karly Rhoads finished with a team high 18 points and five assists.
T'Essence Phelps posted her sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 16 rebounds. Junior
Jordanne Gambill also recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while finishing with two steals.
KWC heads to West Virginia to play Davis & Elkins on Thursday, February 20 at 4:30 p.m. CT.
