SHERMAN, Texas –The Austin College women's basketball team bounced back from their first Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference loss of the year, rolling past Texas Lutheran 77-61 on Saturday evening in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos are now 12-3 overall and 5-1 in SCAC play.
Kacie West came off the bench to score 19 points to pace the 'Roos, hitting 5-of-9 from long range in the game. West scored 16 of those points in the first half, including a 10-point second quarter that helped give the 'Roos a 42-33 lead at halftime. Austin College was dominant early, grabbing a 21-11 lead after the first quarter but the Bulldogs got 14 second quarter points from Jordan Estrada, who hit 4-of-4 from beyond the arc in the period, to cut into the deficit.
Austin College came out hot in the third quarter, scoring 11 unanswered to take a 53-33 lead with 5:22 left in the period, but TLU responded with a 9-0 run of their own to make it a 53-42 game. Mikayla Gascich knocked down a three to end the run, and Austin College would go into the fourth leading 56-46.
Estrada knocked down a three to bring the deficit down to 56-49 but Austin College got a big three from Caitlyn Collins with just over seven minutes remaining to push it to a 63-51 game. Collins would hit again from deep with 4:43 left to make it a 70-54 game, and West's triple with 3:14 to play put the 'Roos on top 75-56, icing the win.
Bryce Frank scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her 11thdouble-double of the season, and added four assists in the victory. Ally Longaker scored 12 points and Collins added 11, while Addison Walling pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. Austin College shot just 40% from the field but knocked down 11-of-28 from long distance and owned a 52-38 edge on the glass.
Estrada finished the game hitting 8-of-9 from the field and all six of her three-point attempts to finish with a game-best 22 points, and Abby Hroch scored 11 as the only other Bulldog to reach double-digits in the scoring column. Tara Molina grabbed eight rebounds and handed out a game-high eight assists in the loss.
Austin College heads out on the road next weekend, taking on Centenary College in Shreveport on Friday night.