ROCK HILL, S.C. -- A slow start gave way to a dominating performance for Miles in its opening round game of the TIAA 2022 SIAC Tournament against Spring Hill. The Lady Bears ran off 14 consecutive points between the first and second quarters and had three players scored in double figures during a 67-46 win over the Badgers at the Rock Hill Sport & Event Center.

The victory moves the West No. 3 seed Lady Bears (19-7) into the quarterfinals on Thursday against East No. 2 Benedict at 1:15 p.m. It allowed them to sweep all three games this season against the undermanned Badgers (4-24), who had just seven players dressed for the contest.

With much of the roster getting its first taste of the conference tournament environment, the Miles was stagnant at the start. There were turnovers on the first four possessions and two missed shots the next time the Lady Bears had the ball. But when Markisha Body (13 points) scored two minutes into the contest, it was the first basket for either team as Miles took an early lead. Spring Hill would lead 6-4 with 2:45 left in the first quarter before the Lady Bears took over.

Miles would score the final 10 points of the quarter to go in front for good. Deresia Randle would start and end the run with buckets, Jakera Ellerbee would make three free throws and Breah McGrady (six points) knocked down a 3-ball to get the Lady Bears rolling. The run continued into the second quarter as Ellerbee (11 points, seven rebounds) and Randle (eight points, nine rebounds) opened the scoring to give Miles an 18-6 advantage less than two minutes in. The defense did its job, holding the Badgers to just four baskets in the first half en route to a 32-14 lead at the break.

The shots kept falling in the third quarter for Miles. Camryn London (15 points) buried a 3-pointer on the opening possession to push the lead past 20 points. She drained another one from deep with less than three minutes to go in the period to give the Lady Bears a 49-25 lead, with the 24-point spread being the largest of the game. Spring Hill was better offensively in the second half but could not keep Miles off the glass. Led by SIAC Freshman of the Year Imani Williams' 15 rebounds, the Lady Bears enjoyed a 57-31 advantage on the boards as the Badgers never got closer than 15 points the rest of the way.