Junior Kayla Mackel led the Colorado College women's basketball team to an 81-58 victory over Mary Hardin-Baylor to tip off the 2024 Colorado College Fall Classic at Reid Arena. Mackel allotted a career-high 25 points and shot 5-9 from three-point range (55.6 percent).
The Houston native was a part of a 10-three-pointer first quarter for the Tigers. CC shot 77 percent (10-13) from long range in the opening frame and led 34-17 heading into the second. The 34 points are the most in a quarter this season for the Tigers.
CC improved its record to 5-1 with the victory.
Senior Laura Strenk and sophomore Isa Nelson shot 3-4 from three-point range throughout the game. Nelson went 3-3 in the first quarter and finished the afternoon with nine points, four rebounds and three assists.
"It was fun going against different defensive look with UMHB opening in their 1-3-1 zone," head coach Katherine Auguste said. "They are a strong, tough team, and I was proud of how we handled physicality and won the rebounding battle."
Senior Zoë Tomlinson followed Mackel with 19 points and a team-high 16 rebounds. It's the third time Tomlinson has swiped 15 or more boards in a game this season. It's the second consecutive game with 16 rebounds after she nabbed the same amount against No. 10 Gustavus Adolphus on Monday.
Strenk was the third Tiger to finish with double-digit points. The Golf, Ill native racked up 13 points, seven boards, a team-high seven assists and three steals.
"The offensive contributions from Isa behind the arc in the first quarter really got us rolling, and from there, it was great to see Kayla, Zoë, and Laura contributing on the offensive end in ways that really impacted the game," Auguste said.
After Nelson hit the first three-pointer to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead, CC never trailed for the remainder of the afternoon.
CC entered the second quarter with a 17-point advantage and never let it get back within single digits. Tomlinson made it a 39-19 game after converting on a layup underneath the basket with 7:36 remaining.
Tomlinson led the team with six points in the second quarter as the Tigers entered the halftime break out in front 51-33.
The Tigers' three-point shooting slowed down in the third quarter, but the offense still managed the sizable lead through formidable defense. CC held the Crusaders to 31.58 percent from the floor in the third.
CC closed out the game powerfully with a 60 percent shooting performance in the fourth quarter. Healy Bledsoe dished out a team-high seven points after shooting 3-4 to close out the game. The Bend, Ore. native finished with eight points, five rebounds, five assists and tied for a team-high three steals.
The Tigers finished outrebounding the Crusaders 42-33, with 13 being on the offensive glass.
CC will take on Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday at noon MT after the Lutes take on Nebraska Wesleyan to round out Friday afternoon.
Mackel Nabs Career-High 25 Points, Tigers Rout Crusaders
Mary Hardin-Baylor
58
Colorado College
81
Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mary Hardin-Baylor (3-1,0-0 ASC) | 17 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 58 |
Colorado College (5-1,0-0 SCAC) | 34 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 81 |
Nov 29, 2024