FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. --  Stefanie Schuck's triple from the right corner gave Lagrange College a 62-54 lead with 2:15 remaining Saturday and the Panthers rode it to a 73-60 victory over Virginia Wesleyan College's Marlins in the opening game of Methodist University's Turkey Shootout.

It was a simple matter of hot and cold as Lagrange (2-0) found its shooting range halfway through the second half, while at the same time Virginia Wesleyan (3-1) could not get shots to drop.  The Marlins had all the shots they wanted, but watched the ball roll off the rim repeatedly.  While the Marlins connected on just 22% from the field in the second half, Lagrange helped itself by canning 42%.

Lagrange did not take its first lead until the 11:13 mark of the second half, wiping out a 30-26 VWC halftime lead.  Virginia Wesleyan kept plugging away, but could not find the baskets to keep the pressure on the Panthers who never trailed after taking the lead.  Junior Kristen Blalock (Suffolk, Va./Portsmouth Christian), who led VWC with 22 points, hit a pair of free throws with 2:06 remaining to pull the Marlins within a 62-56 score, but it never got closer.

VWC led 30-26 at the half after leading 18-7 in the early minutes.  Blalock nailed three triples to help push the Marlins into the lead, despite Lagrange's efforts to force an up-tempo game.  The Panthers concentrated on trying to get inside for scores, but had numerous efforts frustrated by the VWC defense.

Lagrange called for a time out after VWC took a double-digit lead and worked itself back into range, pulling within a 20-16 score with 7:03 on the clock.  Beth Ann Boyce (Colonial Heights, Va./Colonial Heights) connected on a timely triple to help push VWC into a 26-17 lead with 5:13 remaining, only to see Lagrange pull together to create a close contest to the halftime buzzer.

Blalock provided the bright spot for the Marlins, not only scored 22 points, but also pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds and blocked four shots.  Junior Shawnee Lewis (Alexandria, Va./Thomas A. Edison) and Jocelyn Spencer (Newport News, Va./Hampton Roads Academy) scored 11 points each for VWC.

Katie Covington (Savannah, Ga./Calvary Day) led Lagrange with 15 points, helped by a 9-of-10 effort from the free throw lines.  Heather Miller (Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota Christian) added 14 points and Schuck (Suwanee, Ga./North Gwinett) tallied 11 points.  Covington also recorded 11 rebounds for the Panthers, who out-boarded the Marlins 51-46.

Lagrange hit 25-of-32 free throws and VWC connected on 21-of-24.

Virginia Wesleyan competes in its second game of the tournament on Sunday, Nov. 28, against perennial power Maryville College of Tennessee starting at 1 p.m.

--AMDG--