MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Without much to play for entering its final regular season game, it would not have been a surprise if Miles did not give a top-level performance against LeMoyne-Owen Tuesday night.
But the SIAC Western Division champion Lady Bears will enter next week's SIAC Tournament on a roll after beating the Lady Magicians 64-49 at Hall-Johnson Gymnasium. Miles (19-7, 14-4) won its fourth straight overall and earned the season sweep over LOC (10-15, 6-9), forcing 21 turnovers and holding the Lady Magicians under 30 percent shooting from the field.
Much as it did to open its division-clinching win over Tuskegee, Miles dominated the first half. Down by one early, the Lady Bears ran off 12 consecutive points to take the lead for good. Two
Mya Millner baskets sandwiched consecutive 3-pointers by
Victoria Sutton before
Sakina Wynn (10 points, 6 rebounds) topped off the run with a basket to give Miles a 14-3 lead with 4:27 left in the first quarter.
Miles led 18-9 at the end of the first quarter but things would get much worse for LeMoyne-Owen in the second. After Patrisha Lollis knocked down a jumper with 8:25 left in the period, LeMoyne-Owen trailed 18-13. The problem for the Lady Magicians was that would be their last basket for quite a while. The Lady Bears would outscore LOC 16-2 the rest of the quarter as the Lady Magicians missed everything but an opportunity to stay close. They would go 0-for-10 from the field, 2-of-6 from the free throw line and turn the ball over five times as the Lady Bears took control. By the time
Charlisa Wellington (5 points, 3 rebounds) knocked down a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left in the quarter, Miles led 34 -15.
LOC made just four baskets in the first half - two in each quarter - and shot 19 percent from the floor. Millner would make two baskets to start the third for a 38-15 Miles advantage, the biggest of the game. When Glenda Garner scored on the Lady Magicians' next possession, it was their first basket in more than 10 minutes of game times. But that seemed to awaken LOC and got it back in the game.
For the rest of the quarter, it would have been hard to differentiate which team had been in control. The Lady Magicians held the Lady Bears to just one
Raiana Johnson basket over the next eight minutes and trailed by just six points with 90 seconds left in the period. But
Kahyanne Bolton (7 points, 3 rebounds) scored late and Miles led 45-37 going into the final period. Johnson would score to start the fourth and Sutton would knock down another 3-ball - one of four from the senior - to push the lead back to 13 points. LOC would not get closer than nine points the rest of the way.
Blair had 15 points to lead LeMoyne-Owen. Millner (13 points, 4 rebounds) and Sutton (12 points, 4-of-6 3-pointers) led the charge for the Lady Bears, who will await their next opponent at the SIAC Tournament quarterfinals in Rock Hill, S.C. on Mar. 5. Tip-off is scheduled for noon.