LAGRANGE, Ga. – The LaGrange College women's basketball team won 76-64 over fourth-seeded Piedmont University in the Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) semifinals on Friday evening at the Mariotti Gymnasium in LaGrange, Georgia.
THE BASICS
Score: #4 Piedmont 64, #1 LaGrange 76
Records: Panthers 19-7, 14-2 CCS | Lions 14-13, 10-6 CCS
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Trailing the Lions for almost the entirety of the first half and behind 41-34 at halftime, the Panthers used a 13-2 midway through the third quarter to surge into the lead, with six of those points coming from senior guard Laila Battle (Smyrna, Ga.), who earlier this week was announced as the CCS Player of the Year. Down by three going into the fourth quarter, the Panthers exploded out of the gate with an 8-0 run capped off with a three-pointer from freshman guard Adazhah Burrell (Melbourne, Fla.). Clinging to a one point lead with 6:38 left in the game at 61-60, the Panthers would but on another incredible run with a 15-3 stretch with senior power forward Amanda Mclendon (Orlando, Fla.) powering into the paint with four layups. Piedmont would never threaten again as LaGrange completed the come-from-behind victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Mclendon, who joined Battle in earning CCS First Team All-Conference honors, had her best performance in nearly a month with 23 points off 11-of-21 shooting, one point off her career high. The senior also pulled down four rebounds and added three blocks and three assists.
- Battle filled the stat-line with 16 point, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals.
- Burrell, voted CCS Second Team All-Conference, had one of her best games of her rookie season with 13 points, seven boards, a career-high seven assists and three steals.
- Freshman guard Mya Anderson (Jones County, Ga.) came off the bench to score ten points with four assists and two steals for the Panthers.
- Piedmont freshman forward Kylie Watkins (Cleveland, Ga.) led the Lions with 18 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, four steals and two blocks while shooting 8-of-13 from the floor.
- Piedmont junior forward Alexandria Willis (Dallas, Ga.) also had a double-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
UP NEXT
- LaGrange is back on the court on Saturday when they play host to second-seeded Belhaven University in the CCS Championship Final. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
For continuing coverage of LaGrange College Athletics, visit lagrangepanthers.com and follow the Panthers on Instagram ( @lagrange_panthers ), Twitter ( @lcpanthers ) and Facebook ( LaGrange Panthers ).
