Box Score Eckenrod, Heifner Leading Scorers
FERRUM, Va. – That must have been some halftime speech!
Maryville scored the first nine points of the second half and finished with its best shooting performance of the season in a 75-51 triumph over Ferrum on Friday.
The Scots led just 38-36 at intermission but opened the second half with 13-1 run over the first 4:53. Elsa Eckenrod and Jordan Heifner scored four points apiece during that stretch en route to leading the team with 20 and 17 points, respectively.
Maryville went on to post a 20-5 scoresheet for the third quarter and led 58-41 heading to the fourth. The Scots then kept the pressure on and outscored the host Panthers 17-4 to lead 75-45 before Ferrum tallied the game's last six points over the final 1:04.
The timing of the second-half outburst couldn't have been better because Ferrum ended the first half on an 8-0 run to narrow what had been a 35-22 Maryville lead to just 38-36 at the break.
"We really challenged them to be mentally tough, composed and disciplined," Scots head coach Darrin Travillian said. "I loved our response in the second half."
Career Scoring High
Eckenrod's 20-point game matched her career high set in February 2020 at North Carolina Wesleyan. She was 8-of-13 on this night, including 3-of-5 from long range. Heifner finished with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and was 2-of-3 from downtown.
Eckenrod with a game- and season-high 10 rebounds also posted her fourth career double-double. She added four steals to equal a career high, and Heifner posted five steals to give her 11 over the last two games. Courtney Carruthers pitched in with 11 points and three assists.
"Elsa shot the ball well tonight," Travillian said. "She looked for her shot and was confident in her approach."
The Scots as a team posted a season-best 49.1 percent (27-of-55) from the floor and were 7-of-15 from 3-point range for another season high. Maryville's 37-26 rebounding edge was also the best of the year.
The only time Maryville trailed in the game was 12-10 after a three-point-play by Ferrum's Kayla Cabiness with 4:06 remaining in the first quarter. The Scots responded with back-to-back treys from Carruthers and Heifner, with Shelby Hix adding a jumper for an 18-16 advantage at the end of one quarter.
Maryville built that margin to 35-22 on Eckenrod's 3-pointer from the top of the circle with 4:30 showing before halftime. It was still 38-28 after Hix made one of two charity tosses with 2:13 showing, but then Ferrum flipped the script. The Panthers reeled off eight straight points – the last five on free throws – over the closing 1:17 to pull within 38-36 at the break.
Second-Half Surges
Maryville over its last two games has outscored Centre and Ferrum 66-25 in the second half.
The Scots improved to 4-6 overall after their second straight victory. They play again Monday against Capital and Tuesday against John Carroll at the Transylvania Holiday Classic in Lexington. Ferrum saw its three-game winning streak come to an end and dropped to 4-7.
