Box Score BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University women's basketball team set the school record for three-point makes in a game, but it wasn't enough against Emmanuel College on Wednesday afternoon. The Lions shot nearly 70 percent as they topped the Tornado 94-93.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Emmanuel 94, King 93
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 4-6, 2-3 Conference Carolinas; Emmanuel 7-3, 4-0 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
- Emmanuel got off to a hot start, shooting 68.8 percent from the floor while holding King to a 33.3 field goal percentage.
- The Lions went on a 5-0 run in the middle of the quarter, turning a deficit into a 9-5 lead.
- Emmanuel then gradually extended their lead, opening up a 24-16 lead going to the second quarter.
Second Period
- Emmanuel opened their largest lead of the game at 35-2 midway through the quarter before Kiki Samsel drilled a triple.
- King then scored six straight points, cutting their deficit to 37-31 with four minutes remaining until halftime.
- An Ali Golden layup pulled King to within 41-36, but that was a close as the Tornado could get as the Lions beat the halftime buzzer to lead 47-39 at the half.
- Emmanuel shot 69.2 percent in the second quarter, while the Tornado kept pace with a 69.2 field goal percentage.
Third Period
- The Lions extended their lead to 12 in the early going, but King tried to comeback as a Trinity Lee trifecta pulled King within 51-44 with eight minutes remaining in the period.
- Another Lee triple pulled King within four two minutes later before a pair of Kori West free throws cut the King deficit to 53-51.
- However, the Lions extended their lead back to 10 points and held a 68-59 advantage going to the fourth quarter after shooting 64.3 percent from the floor in the third quarter.
Fourth Period
- Early in the final period, King went on a 14-5 run as a Lee trifecta evened the score at 75 with six minutes remaining.
- Ryleigh Fritz followed with a triple to give King their first lead since the first quarter.
- It was short-lived, however, as the Lions answered with a triple.
- The teams then went back-and-forth over the final five minutes with King holding the upper hand.
- However, the Lions turned the table in the final two minutes, evening the score and then taking an 89-86 lead on a Morgan Simmons triple.
- The King deficit grew to 90-86 before Fritz connected from long range with 34 seconds remaining.
- However, King couldn't get any closer as the Lions closed out the 94-93 win at the free throw line.
- In the final quarter, Emmanuel shot 72.7 percent from the floor while King shot 56.3 percent from the floor.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Fritz led four Tornado scorers in double figures with 21 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists.
- Holloway followed with 18 points while Lee chipped in with 17 points.
- Golden added 16 points while Kori West dished out six assists.
FOR THE FOES
- The Lions shot a blistering 68.5 percent from the floor.
- Breanna Locke led Emmanuel with 24 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
- Simmons followed with 19 points while Ajah Taylor added 14 points.
- Jazmin Allen chipped in with 13 points.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- King set a school record with 19 three-point makes in the contest, topping their previous best of 15 that was set in 2015-16.
- Fritz poured in a career-high 21 points, topping her previous best of 12 that was set two weeks ago against Lees-McRae College.
- West set a career-high with six assists, topping her previous best of five that was set a season ago.
UP NEXT
- King hosts regional rival UVa-Wise on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
- Emmanuel is in action again on January 2 against North Greenville University.
