ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Five Griffons put up double-digit points as Connie Clarke surpassed 1,000 career points, highlighting Missouri Western State Women's Basketball's 98-78 victory over the Washburn Ichabods on Saturday afternoon at Civic Arena.
Now winners of three in a row, the Griffons (8-3, 4-2 MIAA) had five players score in double figures, led by Jayme Jackson, who had 20 points. Brionna Budgetts tacked on 11 points, and Tiani Ellison chipped in as well with 11 points off the bench.
Missouri Western collected 35 rebounds in Saturday's game compared to Washburn's 32, led by Clarke's seven boards. Western's defense held Washburn (7-3, 2-2 MIAA) to only 38.3% shooting from the field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After falling behind 19-18, Western went on a 6-0 run with 1:34 left in the first quarter to take a 24-19 lead, a score that would hold for the rest of the period. The Griffs received a great contribution from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 15 of its 24 total points.
Washburn rallied to take a 41-39 lead before Western went on a 5-0 run starting at the 54 seconds mark in the second period, highlighted by a three from MacKenzie Hart, to take a 44-41 lead at halftime. Western was strong from deep in the period, knocking down three triples to account for nine of its 20 points.
Western continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on an 8-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Mary Fultz, to expand its lead further to 52-43 with 6:53 to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Ichabods had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Griffons still entered the fourth quarter with a 69-61 edge. Western's bench made the most of its minutes in the period, as non-starters totaled 10 of the team's 25 third-quarter points.
The Griffons kept widening that lead, expanding it to 75-65 before going on a 6-0 run, finished off by Budgetts' layup, to grow the lead to 81-65 with 5:40 to go in the contest. The Griffons kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 98-78 win. Western took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 16 of its 29 points in the paint.
GAME NOTES
- The Griffons have won back-to-back-to-back games for the first time this season, doing so against MIAA foes.
- Western lit it up from beyond the arc, knocking down nine treys in the game.
- The Griffons held the Ichabods to only 38.3% shooting from the field.
- Western tallied 21 total assists in the game for a second consecutive game, three shy of a season-high.
- The Griffon bench made an impact by scoring 48 points to its scoring output.
- Five Western players scored 10 or more points.
- Ellison and LaJahda Boyland came off the bench to score 11 and 10 points, respectively.
- Western shot 60% from the floor to economically reach its 98-point total.
- Western had a 35-32 edge on the boards in the win.
- The Griffons turned the ball over just 10 times while dishing out 21 assists.
- Jackson's 20-point output was three shy of a season-high.
- Western is now 4-0 at Civic Arena this season and 5-1 there during the Candi Whitaker Era.
UP NEXT
The Griffons go on holiday break before coming back on Dec. 30 to take on Kansas Christian College (0-12) of the NAIA at 1:30 p.m. back inside the MWSU Fieldhouse in St. Joseph.
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