SBU HITS CENTURY MARK

November 18, 2003

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BOLIVAR, MO. ... Three Southwest Baptist University Lady Bearcats (1-1) came way with double-doubles as they went on to run past Ozark Christian College, 100-40. Amber Wheeler and Jenny Hancock were the leading scorers with 17 points.

Hancock (17 points, 13 rebounds), Alicia Mercer (14 points, 12 rebounds), and Gwyn Smith (14 points, 11 rebounds) all recorded double-doubles. The Lady Bearcats also tied a game record for blocks at eight and were one steal shy of tying the record of 22 steals in a game.

SBU only let OCC score 16 first half points and jumped out to a 17-6 lead in the first five minutes. The Lady Bearcats made it a 21-point lead at the 9:28 mark on an Amber Wheeler layup and then shot the lead to 31 points at the 2:52 mark, 47-16, when Hancock nailed a layup. Smith gave SBU a 39-point lead at half with only four seconds left in the half. SBU scored 33 points off turnovers in the first half and had 19 second chance points.

Hancock grabbed 10 rebounds in the second half to reach 13 rebounds as she only had three at halftime. SBU was also shooting 84% from the foul line.

The second half went just as fast for the Lady Bearcats. They pushed the lead to 45 points, 63-18, at 18:32 and then Ashley Bland gave SBU a 51-point lead at the 13:58 mark. With 4:30 left, Mercer hit a shot for a 61-point lead and then SBU took their biggest lead of 62-points just before the end of the game on an Ashley Bishop shot, 100-38.

SBU shot 44% from the floor and 76% from the free throw line. They forced 35 turnovers and produced 21 steals and eight blocks.

They will be back in action again on Friday, November 21st, when they travel to Pittsburg State to take on the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs at 4 p.m.