Women's Basketball | 12/15/2011 4:01:00 PM
November 25, 2011-Emporia State shot .720 from the field in the second half on the way to an 88-61 win over Alabama-Huntsville on Friday afternoon in the first game of the UWF Thanksgiving Classic in Pensacola, Fla. Kelsey Balcom tied her career high with 26 points while Rachel Hanf added a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Lady Hornets.
ESU jumped out to a 6-0 lead with 17:34 left before UAH answered with a 9-2 run to take the lead with 12:06 left in the opening frame. A 7-2 run by the Chargers gave UAH a 27-21 lead with 3:45 left in the half. Balcom and Sarah Wood scored the next five points for ESU to pull within a point at 27-26 with 1:59 left but UAH scored eight of the final 13 points of the half to take a 35-31 lead into the locker room.
In the second half, Balcom would score the first five points of a 9-0 run to give the Lady Hornets the lead for good as they took a 50-44 lead with 12:49 remaining. Jordan Smith scored four straight for the Chargers to cut the lead to 50-48 with 11:03 left. The Lady Hornets then put the game out of reach with a 17-2 run for a 67-50 lead with 6:00 remaining in the game. ESU connected on 12 of 18 free throws in the final 3:25 to secure the neutral site win.
Balcom’s career high 26 points came on ten of 14 shooting from the field. Hanf tied her career high with 11 rebounds to go with her 15 points. They were joined in double figures by Jocelyn Cummings and Merissa Quick with 12 points each.
As a team the Lady Hornets shot .526 from the field, .639 from the free throw line and hit five of 17 three point attempts. They held the Chargers to just .238 shooting for the game and only .182 in the second half. ESU outrebounded UAH 48-35 for the game.
The Lady Hornets are back in action on Saturday when they take on the host West Florida Argos. Tip-off from the UWF Field House in Pensacola, Fla. is set for 2 p.m.
NOTES:
Balcom’s 26 points tied her career high first set at Lincoln on Jan. 12, 2011.
Hanf’s 11 rebounds tied her career high first set at Pittsburg State on Jan. 8, 2012.
ESU’s 57 points in the second half are the most in a second half by ESU since scoring 67 in the second half of a 110-68 win over Missouri Western on Jan. 27, 2010.
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