February 2, 2008

Boxscore

BANNER ELK, N.C.—St. Andrews Presbyterian College senior forward Jackie Cromer scored a career-high 15 points but host Lees-McRae College was able to rally from a halftime deficit and win Saturday’s Conference Carolinas women’s basketball showdown 68-56.

The Lady Bobcats (6-13 Overall; 5-8 Conference Carolinas) held a 47-37 advantage on the boards while the Lady Knights (5-15; 4-9) were only able to convert on 1-of-18 (5.6%) three-pointers.

St. Andrews held a slim 32-31 lead at halftime by shooting 40-percent in the first half but the Knights went cold from the floor in the second half make only 25% of their attempts in the final minutes allowing Lees-McRae to rally to the 12-point victory.

Senior center April Johnson (McColl, S.C.) added a season-high 14 points for St. Andrews but four Lady Bobcats reached double-digits including 16 points from both Stephanie Mullinax an Chahkia Harrison.

Knights freshman guard Kristin Zipkin (Canton, Ga.) chipped in with five points, five rebounds, five assists, and five of SAPC’s nine steals. St Andrews protected the ball well committing fewer turnovers, 20-13, but only shot 32.4% for the game compared to 44.2% by Lees-McRae.

The Bobcats built an early nine-point lead, 17-8, in the first period but the Knights rallied with a 14-4 run that included three baskets by Johnson to regain the lead at 22-21. The two teams played the final seven minutes of the first half close with a Zipkin three-pointer in the final 30 seconds propelling St. Andrews into a one-point lead at the intermission.

Back-to-back buckets by freshman Franchaze Waters (Annapolis, Md.) and Johnson gave the Royal Blue and White a four-point lead, 43-39, five minutes into the second half. The Knights continued to lead by four points a minute later before the Bobcats went on a 15-5 run over the next seven minutes to take the lead for good. SAPC only made four shots from the floor in the final 10 minutes allowing Lees-McRae to pull away to the double-digit victory.

Mullinax grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds to go with her 16 points for a double-double. Cromer tied Johnson for team-high rebounding honors with six boards apiece.

St. Andrews next hosts league foe Belmont Abbey College on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.