HARROGATE, Tenn. – The King University women's basketball team opened the season against a familiar foe, Limestone University, a former Conference Carolinas rival. In a tilt that fans have been accustomed to, neither team led by more than four points as the lead changed hands all night long. However, the Tornado were on the wrong end of the final lead change, seeing Limestone take the 61-60 victory.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Limestone 61, King 60
LOCATION: Tex Turner Arena; Harrogate, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 0-1; Limestone 1-0
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
- The first quarter set the tone for a tight contest with five lead changes and four ties.
- Limestone held the advantage for the majority of the opening 10 minutes, but King made a run down the stretch.
- King scored six straight points to take a 13-10 lead following a Trinity Lee three-point play that was started by an Ashley Allen defensive rebound to ignite the Tornado fastbreak.
- Limestone scored the final basket of the period, but King led 16-15 at the first break.
Second Period
- Madison Worley made a pair of free throws in the opening minute before a Kiki Samsel triple gave King a 21-17 lead.
- The Saints came back and took a 24-23 lead as the team then traded the lead.
- Lee connected again from long range before a Desiree Bates three-point play gave King the lead again at 33-29.
- Just as it happened in the first period, Limestone scored the final basket, but the Tornado held a 34-33 advantage after a half that saw 13 lead changes.
Third Period
- The tight trend continued in the second half as there were five ties and seven lead changes in the third period.
- A Lee trifecta gave King a 46-43 lead with two minutes remaining in the period before the Saints scored five of the final six points to hold a 48-47 lead going to the fourth quarter.
Fourth Period
- The fourth period was tight, with three ties and two lead changes with the last one coming in the final two minutes.
- Samsel and Alexa Gramann scored the first four points of the period for the Tornado, helping King regain a 51-48 lead.
- The Tornado held the lead for nearly the entire period as they matched their largest lead of the game twice, the final time at 59-55 with four minutes remaining.
- However, Limestone came back and evened the score before a Jaden Potts lead gave the lead back to King.
- The Saints answered with a layup with 1:22 remaining, to take a 61-60 lead and mark the game's final lead change.
- King had three chances to regain the lead in the final minute, but all were off the mark as Limestone took the contest 61-60.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- In the contest there were 17 ties and 22 lead changes.
- Lee led King with 17 points and five rebounds while Brianna Dunbar followed with 14 points.
- Samsel added 12 points and Allen grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.
FOR THE FOES
- The King defense held Limestone to 0-for-22 shooting from three-point range.
- Quin Byrd led Limestone with 17 points.
- Reagan Kargo followed with 12 points and six rebounds.
- Vonshayla Webb grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
UP NEXT
- King takes on host Lincoln Memorial University on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
- Limestone squares off with Converse University on Saturday.
