BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University women's basketball team rallied from a first quarter deficit to earn a hard-fought win over Belmont Abbey College 62-58 Wednesday afternoon. The Tornado were led by
Ryleigh Fritz and
Trinity Lee, both of whom scored 16 points for the Tornado.
THE BASICS
FINAL: King University 62, Belmont Abbey College 58
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 7-2, 6-1 Conference Carolinas; Belmont Abbey 5-4, 3-2 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Period
- King started the game hot, as Lee and Brianna Dunbar both hit jumpers to hand the Tornado an early 4-0 lead.
- The Crusaders then embarked on a 11-1 run to snatch a six-point lead at the halfway mark.
- Caroline Harville hit a layup for the Tornado, but Belmont Abbey scored the final four points of the quarter to take a 15-7 lead into the break.
Second Period
- The Belmont Abbey run continued as they scored the first basket of the period to take a 17-7 advantage.
- However, Lee knocked down a jump shot and nailed a three-point basket to ignite a 10-0 Tornado run that evened the score at 17.
- A Jhayda McKinney trifecta evened the tally four minutes into the quarter.
- Fritz gave King their first lead since the first quarter at 23-22 with a triple with four minutes remaining in the quarter.
- Desiree Bates and Lee followed with triples, extending the lead to 29-24.
- King led 33-26 following a McKinney basket before the Crusaders scored the final three points of the half.
- However, King held a 33-29 lead at the intermission.
Third Period
- Belmont Abbey came back and evened the score at 33 out of the break, but King again responded with a run.
- Harville started the spurt with a layup before Fritz converted a three-point play.
- Fritz made a pair of free throws in the final minute to cap the run, but Belmont Abbey scored the final points of the period.
- The Crusaders beat the buzzer, cutting the King lead to 44-35 going to the fourth period.
Fourth Period
- Bates converted a four-point play early in the final stanza before Fritz made a triple to give King a 54-39 lead.
- A Lee triple gave King their largest lead of the game at 57-41 with 3:28 remaining.
- However, the Crusaders made a run down the stretch, scoring 12 straight points to pull within 57-53 with 50 seconds remaining.
- The King advantage was cut to three on two occasions, but Fritz made five straight free throws to give King the 62-58 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Lee and Fritz led king with 16 points each while Lee snared six rebounds.
- Fritz went 8-for-9 from the free throw line and 2-for-2 from three-point range.
- McKinney chipped in with eight points.
FOR THE FOES
- Brittany Autry led Belmont Abbey with 14 points and 10 rebounds while Keyanna Spivey posted 13 points and 12 rebounds.
- Jo Snow chipped in with 10 points and Kelli Thomas added 10 rebounds.
- Belmont Abbey outrebounded King 49-29, including 22 offensive rebounds. However, the Tornado only allowed 18 second chance points off of those rebounds.
UP NEXT
- King returns to the road to face Chowan University on Saturday. Tipoff from Murfreesboro, N.C. is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
- Belmont Abbey hosts UNC Pembroke on Saturday afternoon.
