Lady Cardinals play Blue Storm to a drizzle

By DONN ADAMSON\Daily Journal Sports Editor

PARK HILLS - Two words could describe the Mineral Area College Lady Cardinals basketball play Tuesday night against the Southwestern Blue Storm - 'quick and speedy'. The lady Cardinals played their game in high gear and the result was Blue Storm mistakes and MAC quick scoring for a 67-55 win.

Two free throws by MAC's Alycea Wallace started the scoring in the game, and even though it took awhile before the Lady Cardinals would score again, it took even longer for the Blue Storm to even get on the board.

MAC's defense caused turnover after turnover by SW Illinois, and even though the Lady Cardinals could not capitalize every time, it was just a matter of time before they pulled away with the lead. At 11:30 left in the half, MAC had pulled out to a 13-2 lead and SW Illinois called time before things got too far out of hand.

The Blue Storm looked to come back when Danielle Duncan hit a three, but Mineral Area's DeAnna Anderson said no way as she matched it on the other end with an 18 footer of her own.

In the second 10 minutes of play in the first half, Mineral Area's scoring seemed to stall out. Several times down the floor, the Lady Cardinals had second and third opportunities to score, but the ball wouldn't fall. The same was true on the other end of the floor for SW Illinois as they had numerous offensive rebounds that had MAC coaches yelling for the Lady Cardinals to block out.

The Blue Storm cut the lead to seven points, but a three-pointer by Dionn Jackson gave the Lady Cardinals a 10-point lead at the half, 30-20.

SW Illinois opened the second half with a quick basket, but Jackson answered with a shot from just inside the arc, but the Blue Storm began a slow pecking away at the MAC lead until they came to within four points. With the score 34-29, MAC coach Lana LaBruyere called for a time-out to hopefully stop the visitors momentum.

A three-pointer by SW Illinois cut the lead to three at 36-33, but this time it was Anna Brisso who hit the responsive basket. Brisso got hot in the second half as she hit three threes, two twos and two free throws for her only points of the game. Brisso led all scorers with her 15 points.

MAC pushed out to a 14 point lead as SW Illinois made turnover after turnover. The Blue Storm had 28 turnovers in the game. The pace of play had reached a peak as MAC pushed the ball on transition, and Coach LaBruyere finally called time-out just to give her players a rest with 5:54 left in the game with the score 55-40.

SW Illinois opened back up with a three, but they could not draw any closer as MAC slowed the ball down and matched the Blue Storm point for point. The only highlight for SW Illinois came at the free throw line where the Blue Storm made 10-12 free throws in the second half.

Along with Brisso's 15 points, Wallace had 12 points, and Erica Anderson scored 11. Duncan matched Brisso with 15 points for SW Illinois, and Tenise Williams matched her jersey number with 13 points.

MIneral Area is now 3-1 and will play next on Thursday at Lindenwood.