SHREVEPORT, La. – The Ladies outscored the Bulldogs 18-4 in the final five minutes of the third quarter and used a 26-for-40 mark (65 percent) from the line to pick up the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference win as Centenary (3-9, 1-1 SCAC) knocked off Texas Lutheran (4-8, 0-1 SCAC) 67-52 Friday night, January 5.
It is the first win for Centenary on the season when trailing at halftime and the most made free throws in a game this season. The Ladies also improve to 2-0 in 2017-18 in Friday games.
Trailing 34-29 with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter, freshman Darelzray Bellard hit the Ladies first three of the game. Texas Lutheran followed with a jumper, but senior Samantha Lyons answered with a fastbreak three to cut the deficit to one.
Lyons finished with a season high 11 points off the bench – including hitting both triples taken in the game.
After a Texas Lutheran turnover and foul, Bellard made both free throws to give Centenary a 37-36 lead, an advantage it would not relinquish. Lyons made a pair from the line while Morris and sophomore Deunya Small made a jumper.
After a layup from the Bulldogs Bryanna Delgado, freshman Kayla King split from the line with 15 seconds left in the third. The Ladies forced a turnover and Morris hit a three in stride from the top of the arc to beat the buzzer. Centenary turned a two-point deficit at halftime into a 47-38 lead after three.
The Maroon and White never led by less than six the rest of the way. Up 61-52 with 1:13 left, the Ladies went 6-for-8 from the line to close out the game and claim the 15-point win.
Texas Lutheran was held to one field goal in the final seven minutes of the contest.
Morris used a 10-for-13 mark from the line to finish with a game-best 17 points. Small grabbed 10 boards as Centenary outrebounded the Bulldogs 46-36.
Texas Lutheran used a 10-2 run to end the first to stake its largest lead of the game. Down 6-5, Madyson Garcia and Presley Stephens made threes. King brought the game back to one possession with a layup for the Ladies, but a Stephens layup and a Dominique Campos fastbreak hoop gave the visitors a 15-8 lead after one stanza.
Cami Davis led Texas Lutheran with 11 points, while Garcia added 10. Abby Hroch grabbed a game high 11 rebounds.
Centenary returns to action Sunday, January 7, when it takes on Southwestern. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.