by LEWISTON, Idaho – No. 7 LC State Women’s Basketball made a mark on the record book on Saturday with a 113-61 victory over Park-Gilbert (Ariz.) in the P1FCU Activity Center. The 113 points is tied for fourth-most in a single game by LC State, and the 16 3-pointers is also tied for fourth in the Warrior record book. LC shot 62.2% from the field which ranks third.
Kendall Wallace led LC State with a career-high 21 points on a 5-for-8 performance from 3-point range. Sitara Byrd wrapped up her weekend with 17 points and Payton Hymas added seven assists.
Byrd was named the MVP of the non-conference tournament and Lindsey Wilson was also named to the all-tournament team.
“Absolute fantastic energy from our team tonight,” coach Caelyn Orlandi said. “Playing in those games is an extremely fun environment for our team. Our bench energy was wonderful, and our offense tonight was special. The game plan today was to move the basketball against their zone to start the game, and we executed wonderfully. When they switched to man, we were able to get paint touches and find our shooters. I love to see 27 assists on a stat sheet and I love to have confidence going into our tough road trips in November.”
The victory has the Warriors off to a 4-0 start on the young season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
A basket by Darian Herring and 3-pointer by Byrd had LC State out to a 5-0 lead after the first minute. After a short back-and-forth, a triple by Tatum Brager started a 16-point run that featured 3-pointers from Wallace, Byrd and Grace Beardin for a 25-8 advantage. Wallace and Beardin each added another 3 in the final minute for a 33-11 lead after 10 minutes.
The 33 points in first frame was just short of the program record for points in a quarter which stands at 35 set in 2016.
Wallace and Wilson combined for seven straight points to keep the momentum with LC State in the second frame. Brager and Hymas tallied consecutive baskets for a 45-18 advantage at 5:04, and a triple by Ellee Brockman made it 48-21 at 3:26. Herring and Ella Nelson added baskets for a 54-30 advantage at the half.
The Warriors maintained control in the third quarter as Byrd, Herring, Wilson and Wallace combined for a nine-point run to push the margin to 30, 74-44, at 1:32. LC State led 77-46 with 10 minutes to play.
Camden Barger and Wallace netted back-to-back 3-pointers for an 89-49 lead at 6:52 in the final frame. Madalyn Green scored the first point of her collegiate career, and a triple by Nelson and layup by Hymas pushed the Warriors to the century mark, 100-53, with 3:46 to play. Brockman accounted for eight of LC State’s final 10 points, including a 3-pointer, in the 113-61 contest.
STAT RECAP
Wallace had a career night with 21 points off the bench. She was 8-for-14 from the field and 5-for-8 from 3-point range. She finished the night with four steals.
“Kendall Wallace had a career high in points tonight, but what she did defensively was even better for me,” Orlandi said. “She got flicks and scrambled all across the court tonight.”
