Lady Golden Bears Snap Skid, Down Clark Atlanta
Box Score Miles' women's basketball team had not tasted victory since the season opener back in November. But of the next six losses, the only ones that would become problematic were the two losses the Lady Golden Bears suffered to open Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play, as the way to the postseason will run through a strong conference effort in 2015.
That run started Thursday night in a 59-49 win over Clark Atlanta at Knox-Windham Gymnasium.
Porshia Blue scored a game-high 19 points and added six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Wendy Miller added eight points and a game-high 15 rebounds for the Lady Golden Bears (2-6, 1-2 SIAC). Three Lady Panthers (4-5, 1-2) scored in double figures, led by Mykala Jones'12 points.
Miles controlled the entire first half. An early 12-4 run, punctuated by back-to-back 3-pointers by
Ashley Steger (13 points, five rebouns) and
Sommer Harper . (nine points) helped the Lady Golden Bears to a 17-8 advantage less than eight minutes into the game. Harper drained another three and Blue scored late to give Miles a 30-20 halftime lead.
Shawntal Byrd (two points, seven rebounds) scored her only basket of the game at the 15:18 mark to give Miles a 38-24 lead, its biggest of the game. But seven minutes later, the entire lead had evaporated when two Sydni Davis free throws knotted the contest at 42. But the Lady Golden Bears defense got downright stingy, holding the Lady Panthers without a basket for almost seven minutes. By then, Miles had reopened a double-digit lead and was able to coast to its first conference win of the season.
Miles held Clark Atlanta to just less than 31 perccent from shooting, forced 19 turnovers and outrebounded the Lady Panthers 53-42. The Lady Golden Bears are back in action Monday night when it hosts Benedict. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
