For the third-consecutive year, the members of the IUS women’s basketball team are Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament champions.
The No. 1 seeded Grenadiers defeated No. 2 Alice Lloyd College 72-58 in the championship game on Feb. 25.
After watching the men’s team win the KIAC championship an hour earlier, it was time for the women to stake their claim as the KIAC’s best team.
“Alice Lloyd is not coming into our building and cutting down our nets,” Kylee Anthony, sophomore guard, said.
The Grenadiers scored the first 7 points of the game, forcing the Lady Eagles to call a timeout.
The Grenadiers scored 5 more quick points, pushing the lead to 15-2. A second timeout was called by the Lady Eagles.
The timeout didn’t seem to calm the Lady Eagles because they remained shaky on offense and committed four straight-traveling turnovers.
The Grenadiers capitalized on the turnovers and took a 21-4 lead. Sensing his team was a bit overwhelmed, Alice Lloyd’s head coach John Mills promptly called a third timeout.
The pressure of the championship game seemed to be getting to several Alice Lloyd players. Sixteen turnovers in the first half wasn’t helping their cause, either.
Even though they were down 10 points at the break, the Lady Eagles seemed relieved to go into the locker room for a chance to regroup.
Ashmere Woods, sophomore guard, scored 8 quick points including two 3-pointers to start the second half scoring for the Grenadiers.
The turnovers continued for the Lady Eagles in the second half, as well as the frustrated looks on defense.
The Lady Eagles saw a glimmer of hope when Whitney Duncan, senior guard, had to leave the game because of a charley horse.
While Duncan was receiving attention by the trainer, the Lady Eagles went on a run that cut the Grenadier lead to 6 points.
The Lady Eagles couldn’t get any closer to IU Southeast and had to start fouling. The Grenadiers hit their free throws and sealed the 72-58 victory.
Woods led all scorers with 25 points while Alden Krausse, senior forward, added 13 points and 5 blocks for the Grenadiers.
“I really felt like we had the best team,” Robin Farris, IUS head coach, said. “It was the ultimate team, and that’s why we were
successful.”
By GARRETT TAYLOR
Staff
gartaylo@imail.iu.edu
