MONROE, La. – Senior guard Niki Avery scored a game-high 18 points and freshman Lindsey Waters recorded her first career double-double as Eastern Kentucky beat Alabama State today, 85-71, to capture third place at the Taco Bell Warhawk Classic in Monroe, La. Waters finished with career bests 15 points and 11 rebounds to help the Lady Colonel improve to 4-1 on the season.
Senior guard Ashley Cazee scored 17 points and handed out four assists for EKU. Shavonne Jones with 11 points gave Eastern four double-digit scorers. Crystal Jones dished out a game-high five assists and finished with seven points. The senior was selected to the all-tournament team after averaging 12 points, 4.5 assists and three rebounds in two tournament games.
The Lady Colonels connected on nine of their first 13 shots from the field on their way to building a 13-point lead, 21-8, with 13:04 left in the first half. At one point, Eastern knocked down six straight shots, including two three-pointers by Avery and one by LaTanya Stokes.
A pair of free throws by Cazee made it a 15-point game, 25-10, with 11:40 before intermission. A 10-3 run by Alabama State (0-3) cut the deficit to six points, 34-28. After four straight EKU free throws put the Lady Colonels in front 38-28, the Lady Hornets scored five straight to cut the lead in half. Waters’ jumper as time expired sent Eastern Kentucky to the locker room with a 9-point lead, 44-35.
ASU scored the first six points of the second half to get within three points but the Lady Hornets never got any closer and Eastern responded with a 12-1 run to take control of the game for good. Crystal Jones capped the run with a lay-up to make it a 14-point lead, 56-42, with 15:13 left to play.
A jumper by Kimberly Davis had Alabama State within seven with just under 12 minutes to play. However, Cazee answered with a three-pointer at the other end, part of eight straight points she scored for EKU. A jumper by Stokes with 3:14 remaining gave the Lady Colonels their largest lead, 19 points, 81-62.
Shantae Robinson and Assunta Fulgham led the Lady Hornets with 13 points each. Fulgham added nine rebounds.
EKU forced 24 turnovers while committing only 16, but ASU converted 24 of its 32 chances at the free throw line while the Lady Colonels went 15-of-19 from the charity stripe.
Eastern Kentucky held ASU to 11 percent (1-for-9) shooting from three-point range. The Lady Colonels shot 42.1 percent (32-of-76) from the field and 33.3 percent from long range.
The Lady Colonels will begin Ohio Valley Conference play on Thursday when they travel to face Murray State. Tip-off in Murray, Ky., is scheduled for 8 p.m.
