Box Score The Maryville College women's basketball squad advanced to the USA South Tournament semifinals with a 75-66 come-from-behind road victory in the quarterfinals over North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, North Carolina on Saturday afternoon.
The Scots overcame a 3-for-18 effort in the first quarter with a 45-percent success rate in the second period while shutting down the Bishops before the half with a defense that limited the hosts to a 4-for-22 shooting effort.
Maryville had a 26-25 lead at the intermission with Klaire Varney leading the way with seven points after going 5-for-6 at the charity stripe.
Elsa Eckenrod and Shelby Hix exploded in the second half allowing Maryville to pull away down the stretch. Hix went 3-for-3 including a pair of treys in the third quarter while Eckenrod went 2-for-3 with a three-pointer. The Scots were unselfish sinking six of their eight third-quarter baskets after key assists.
Maryville closed the door on the tournament victory in the final period as Shelby Hix tallied 11 points on 4-of 6 shooting including another pair from long distance. Elsa Eckenrod added eight points going 3-for-3 down the stretch including two from beyond the arc. The Scots finished hitting over 61-percent from the floor to finish the game including a 4-for-5 success rate from long distance.
North Carolina Wesleyan finished their season at 19-6. Kayla Johnson dropped six three-pointers to pace the Bishops with 21 points. Myrayna Watkins added 12 points while Keorra Taylor and Kayrisma Harrison sank 11 and 10 points respectively.
Maryville (20-7) was paced by Klaire Varney's double-double. The junior all-conference selection brought down a game-high 10 rebounds while sinking 14 points. Shelby Hix finished 8-for-14 from the floor including four three-pointers for a game-high 21 points. Elsa Eckenrod found her perimeter touch with five treys while going 7-of-12 from the floor for 20 points.
"Today was our gutsiest win of the year," exclaimed Maryville College Head Coach Darrin Travillian. "The girls responded really well every time N.C. Wesleyan took a lead. I was proud of our defensive effort, and we certainly battled on the boards. I'm so proud of our entire team today because this took a team effort against an excellent Wesleyan squad."
The Scots will advance to the league tournament semi-final at Berea College. Maryville will challenge the No. 1 seeded Mountaineers on Saturday, February 29th in Berea, Kentucky.
