Grace’s women’s basketball team wrapped up the 2017-18 season with a fast-paced 87-46 win over Hiwassee on Friday.
The Lady Lancers (20-16) secured their second 20-win season in program history and placed fifth in the NCCAA National Championships.
The win also ended the career of four-year starter Kelsie Peterson, who tallied eight points and five boards in her collegiate finale.
Brooke Sugg led all players with 16 points, drilling four 3-pointers, and Vironnica Drake scored 15 points with five rebounds, needing only six shots to reach that mark.
All 12 Lady Lancers registered a point in the win.
While the game started evenly, Grace began to assert itself in the second quarter. The Lady Lancers erupted with a 20-0 run between the first and second quarters.
Grace’s defense held the Tigers (20-12) scoreless for a stretch of 8:24 in the first half. Lauren Godfrey, Kyannah Stulland Sugg each hit a 3-pointer in Grace’s run, helping the Lady Lancers to a 28-11 lead.
Grace went into halftime with a comfortable 38-21 lead.
The third quarter saw another offensive explosion for Grace. The Lady Lancers poured in 30 points during the 10-minute stanza. Sugg hit a pair of triples, Rachel Montgomery scored four in a row, and Micaela Box ended the quarter with an and-1 in the final minute as Grace led by 30.
The lead eventually grew to 40 in the fourth quarter as Grace coach Scott Blum utilized his bench liberally.
Grace held a dominant 51-32 advantage in rebounding, including 17 offensive rebounds. The hosts also committed just eight turnovers and shot 82 percent from the free throw line.
Box had nine points and five boards in 13 minutes, and Lauren Godfrey scored eight points.
Kaylie Warble led all players with 10 rebounds to go along with seven points, Pam Miller had five points and nine rebounds, and Brooke Treadway added six points and three boards. — from gclancers.com