MOBILE, Ala. -- The Lady Bears split a pair of contests this weekend at Spring Hill, dropping the opener on Saturday, 55-53, before winning the nightcap on Sunday, 57-38, at the Outlaw Recreation Center. With the split, Miles (6-11) took the season series by winning 3-of-4 from the Badgers (1-5). Nadia Cathey averaged 12.5 points, five steals and four assists and Katrice Jackson had 7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks over the two contests.

SATURDAY - SPRING HILL 55, MILES 53

The Lady Bears fell behind by 14 points but a late basket by the Badgers gave them their first win of the season. Spring Hill held Miles scoreless for more than five minutes in the middle of the first quarter to open a 19-5 advantage. But the lead was just six points with a little less than six minutes to go in the game.

Raven Hand (eight points) would score five straight points, including a 3-pointer with 3:53 to go. When Kierra Patrick (10 points, nine rebounds) knocked down her own triple with 1:28 left, the game was tied at 53. But a bucket by Katie Krout (14 points, 13 rebounds) with 13 seconds remaining put the Badgers back in front. Miles had a final chance to win but Cathey's 3-pointer missed and Spring Hill was able to get its first win over Miles in six tries.

Mar Benito Olivan and Tyashia Bostick each scored 10 points for Spring Hill. Cathey scored a game-high 19 points along with four assists and four steals and Charlis Wellington added five points and a team-high 10 rebounds for Miles.

SUNDAY - MILES 57, SPRING HILL 38

Miles used its defense to jump out to a big lead early en route to an easy win over Spring Hill. No one scored in double figures for the Lady Bears but the team was dominant on the glass, outrebounding the Badgers 50-39, and forced 32 turnovers that led to 28 points.

Spring Hill did not score for almost four minutes to start the game, missing three shots from the field, two free throws and turning the ball over three times during that stretch. But Miles turned the screws even tighter, not allowing another basket for nearly five more minutes. Raiana Johnson (eight points, four rebounds) scored on back-to-back possessions to push the Lady Bears into double figures for the first time and when Hand knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:24 left in the opening quarter, the lead was at 12 points and SHC would not get the deficit into single digits the rest of the way.

The Lady Bears lead 19-5 going into the second quarter but they were not done. A 3-pointer by Tomesia Staten (five points) pushed the advantage to 17 points midway through the period and Johnson's basket with 90 seconds remaining gave the team an 18-point lead. Spring Hill would close to within 31-19 at halftime. In the third, a 3-pointer by Amya Bryant (five points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals) pushed the advantage to 16 points and a 3-point play by Jasmine Thompson (three points, six rebounds) helped Miles go into the final period ahead 45-29. An offensive rebound and putback by Jackson gave Miles its biggest lead of the game, 55-35, with two minutes remaining. The Badgers made only 10 baskets the entire game, with just two buckets in each of the first, third and fourth quarters.

Ariel Thompson had seven points and nine rebounds to lead Spring Hill. Jackson had game-highs in points (8), rebounds (13) and blocked shots (3) to pace the Lady Bears.

UP NEXT

Miles is on the road to play at Albany State on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.