The Maryville College women's basketball team used a strong defensive effort and constant pressure to defeat No. 18 Emory University 62-46 on Saturday afternoon on MC's Randy Lambert Court.
The first nine minutes featured a 10-10 tie until Maryville went on an 8-0 run the next six minutes that featured key baskets by Donja Robbins and Lauren Burnett. The Scots advanced to an eleven point advantage when Robbins connected on a trey with just over a minute left before the half. Maryville closed out the first period that featured nine fast break points and 14 points in the paint and a 31-20 halftime lead.
Four key turnovers and an MC defense that contested every Emory shot allowed the Scots to push to a 17 point advantage in the first ten minutes of the second half. A Mackenzie Puckett jumper gave MC a 42-25 lead with nine minutes left in the game. Puckett's three-pointer at the 4:43 mark extended Maryville's lead to 21 points and the Scots cruised to their fourth consecutive victory.
Emory (8-1) had three players score in double figures. Savannah Morgan was 5-for-10 from the field for a team-high 13 points. Hannah Lilly and Danielle Landry each posted a dozen points. Selena Castillo and Misha Jackson were strong on the boards with nine and eight rebounds respectively. The Eagles finished shooting 19-for-70 for a 27% effort, going only 6-for-24 (25%) from beyond the arc.
Maryville (5-1) was paced by Tayler Smith in the post. Smith was 9-for-13 for a game-high 23 points while also bringing down seven boards. Kiera Payne was strong under the basket with a game-high 14 rebounds to help MC out rebound the Eagles. Alex Bond, Lauren Burnett, and Mackenzie Puckett each added eight points to a Scots offense that shot 42% and 81% from the free throw line. MC's defense forced 16 Eagles turnovers while recording seven steals. Lailah Farmer and Kiera Payne shared the ball effectively posting five and four assists respectively.
The Scots will attack their final exams and prepare for a USA South challenge on Saturday, December 15th when they host Meredith College. Tip-off is slated for 2:00 in MC's Boydson Baird Gymnasium.