Emmanuel (GA) Emm 3-1,0-0 Conference Carolinas

Lander Lander 1-2,0-0 Peach Belt

Emmanuel (GA) Emm

3-1,0-0 Conference Carolinas

Final

Nov. 17, 2023

Lander Lander

1-2,0-0 Peach Belt

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Emmanuel (GA) Emm	10	12	12	22	56
Lander Lander	18	21	13	12	64

Summary
Box Score

Turner Kirby

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | 11/17/2023 7:20:00 PM

Johnson-Kelly Nets 22, Bearcats Weather Late Rally to Secure First Win of Season

ANDERSON, S.C. - The Lander Women's Basketball team used a hot shooting first half and held off a fourth quarter rally from the Emmanuel Lions to secure their first win of the season by a score of 64-56 on Friday evening inside the Abney Athletic Center.

WyKira Johnson-Kelly led the team with 22 points and also grabbed eight rebounds. Tyasia Freeman led the way for the Lions with 24 points.

The Bearcats got off to a hot start in the first half as they shot 50% from the field and just under 43% from three.

Cory Santoro and Abby Carter got the hot shooting started as they knocked down the first two Lander shots for three to give the Blue and Gold a six-point lead. The Bearcats held a five point lead with just over 90 seconds left in the first quarter before Amani Melendez knocked down four consecutive shots, including three three-pointers to end the first and start the second to increase Lander's lead to 21-12.

Johnson-Kelly added a three and a layup to close out what ended up being a 16-4 run for Lander across the end of the first and start of the second quarters which made it a 14 point lead at 26-12.

Emmanuel would make a couple of attempts at a run but would be thwarted several times by a Lander defense which forced 14 turnovers in the first 20 minutes of play. Free throws from Santoro and Johnson-Kelly helped Lander grow the lead to 19 right before halftime before a pair of Lion free throws of their own made it 39-22 Lander at the break.

The Bearcats' hot shooting would go cold in the second half as the Blue and Gold only shot 21.4% in the second 20 minutes. However, buckets from Melendez and free throws from Johnson-Kelly and Ashley Tucker saw Lander maintain a 18 point lead heading into the final quarter.

The Lions cut the lead down to 13 to start the fourth quarter but Cory Santoro would hit a three from the wing to get it back up to a 59-43 lead. The Lions would rattle off an 11-0 run with layups and free throws to cut it down to a five-point lead at 59-54 with just under a minute left. However, the run came too little, too late as the Bearcats shot 5-6 from the line in that last 44 seconds to seal the win.

The Lander Women's Basketball team returns to action tomorrow as they face former PBC rival, Young Harris, in day 2 of the AU Classic. The game is scheduled for a noon tip-off.

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