CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The Lee Women's Basketball team scorched the Maryville College Scots, 73-37, on Saturday afternoon to open up the homecoming exhibitions at Walker Arena.
Mia Hurst led all scorers with 16 points. Anna Muhonen pitched in with 13 of her own and Mallory Hampton rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10.
Muhonen got the scoring started 23 seconds on off a Hurst assist but Maryville took the early lead with an Ella Tharpe three a few possessions later. After five lead changes, the Lady Flames used a Haley Cameron layup from a Hampton dime to take the lead for good with 5:31 to go in the period. The Cameron layup sparked a, 10-4, run to end the quarter and Lee was up, 19-14, after one.
The second quarter was all Lady Flames, starting with a, 16-0, run that lasted just over eight-and-a-half minutes. Hurst dropped eight in the quarter on 3-of-3 shooting that included two 3s and the Lee defense forced eight turnovers, holding the Scots to just eight shots in the frame.
The third was similar fashion. Emily Allen got the scoring started in the second half, but Muhonen hit a bucket off a Haylee Johnson pass to jumpstart a, 6-0, run. The Flames held the guests to just seven points in the period and continued to cruise heading into the final quarter.
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The two teams battled in the fourth as Lee extended their lead to the largest of the night with a Cameron layup from a Callie Brewer assist to make it a 36-point game and to make it final, 73-37.
Lee shot 44.6 percent (22-for-56) from the floor while going 8-for-26 (30.8 percent) from three. The Lady Flames took advantage of opportunities at the free-throw line, hitting 15-of-19 (78.9 percent).
The strong host defense forced turned 27 Maryville turnovers into 21 points and held them to 38.5 percent (15-for-39) shooting. The Scots went 4-for-16 (25 percent) from distance and struggled from the charity stripe going 3-for-10 (30 percent).
Hurst once again led all athletes with seven rebounds as Johnson handed out six assists and Hampton came away with eight steals in a game where every Lady Flame checked in.
Maryville was led by Sophie Tharpe, Ella Tharpe, Allen, and Kadence Stoner who all had five points each. The Scots had three different players with four rebounds and a trio with two assists each.
Lee dominated in the paint outscoring the guests, 34-12. The Lady Flames also pushed the ball scoring 15 fast break points to Maryville's two, and had a bench that produced 28 points led by Cameron with seven.
The Lady Flames now turn their sights to their season opener as they travel to Huntsville, Alabama to take on the University of Tampa on November 10th beginning at 8 p.m. EST.
Coach Rowe's Thoughts:
"We're hoping this year's team will be a deep team. Obviously getting a chance to play a lot of people is important, especially early in the year. You have people trying to figure out what their role is going to be. We've got some depth but we don't have a lot of separation in some spots. So, day by day, we have people we've got people competing and trying to figure out where they fit. Anytime we get a chance to get them in a live game, in front of a crowd. This is the first time we've played in front of a crowd this season, and the first time some of these kids have played in front of a crowd this big, it gives you a good indication of what you think they can do. We look forward to getting Addie Smith back, and can't wait to get her back in the lineup."
