LINCOLN, Ill. – Today the Lincoln Christian University Red Lions defeated the Mount Mary University basketball team by a score of 70-62. After the Red Lions led by 33-27 at half time, they propelled themselves to their eighth win of the season with a strong second half and moved MMU's record to 8-6.
The Red Lions took the early lead, but the Blue Angels did not let it last. After jumping ahead 6-4, MMU's Erica Williams (So./Bloomington, Ill.) attacked the paint and tied things up 6-6. After that, the Red Lions slowly went on a 4-0 run over the next four minutes.
Again, Williams helped her team tie things up moments later when she grabbed a missed three-point field goal by the Blue Angels and put the ball right back in the hoop to make the score 10-10. LCU then was able to finish the quarter on a 6-2 run to retake the lead.
The Blue Angels continued to chip away in the second quarter. After trailing by as much as seven, MMU then went on a quick 6-0 run to pull within one point with three minutes left to go in the half. LCU then answered with a 11-6 run to lead 33-27 at half.
In the second half, the Red Lions slowly pushed out the lead. Neither team was able to capitalize from outside, as both teams went the entire first three quarters without making a three-point field goal. The Red Lions used the interior game to outscore MMU 18-10 in the third.
MMU did not give in during the final ten minutes. After LCU hit the first basket of the quarter, the Blue Angels sparked an 8-0 run that was capped off by a Rae Grubbs' (Jr./Covington, Ind.) 3-pointer. The first 3-point field goal made by MMU made the score 53-44 with eight minutes left to go in the game.
After starting off the quarter on an 18-10 run, the Blue Angels were able to cut the LCU lead down to six with three minutes left. The Red Lions hit 4-of-6 from the free throw line and a field goal to give themselves a 70-62 victory.
"We found the pace we wanted in the fourth," said Mount Mary Head Basketball Coach Marc Heidorf. "Just unfortunately had dug a little too big of a hole by then."
Both teams finished 1-of-15 from outside the 3-point line. MMU went 24-of-60 from the field while the Red Lions hit 28-of-67 as a team.
Erica Williams led the Blue Angels on offense scoring 22 points and bringing in 16 rebounds. That marks the sophomore's ninth double-double of the season, which breaks her single-season record of eight set last year.
Newcomer Megan Johnson (Fr./Waukesha, Wis.) led the bench scoring for the Blue Angels hitting 3-of-5 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free throw line for 11 points. Johnson also led her team with three assists.
The Blue Angels return to action this Sunday at the Bloechl Center. MMU will host the Cardinal Stritch University Wolves Sun. Jan. 27 at 2:00 pm. Live video and stats will be made available for the contest at MtMaryAthletics.com.
