Box Score Maryville College senior Kelley Wandell was dominant in the paint with a double-double of 13 points and a game-high 18 rebounds to help the Scots pull away late from the LaGrange College Panthers 64-55 in LaGrange, Georgia on Thursday afternoon.
Maryville battled back in the second quarter after the Panthers outpaced the Scots 20-19 in the initial quarter. At the six-minute mark in the second stanza, a trio of treys by Courtney Carruthers, Elsa Eckenrod, and Shelby Hix gave MC their largest lead of the game 30-25 with four minutes before the half. A strong man-to-man defensive effort and eight rebounds by Kelley Wandell helped Maryville vault to a 34-27 advantage before settling for a 36-31 lead at the half.
At the intermission, Wandell paced the Scots with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting while Carruthers (9 points) and Eckenrod (8 points) added to Maryville's balanced offensive attack that shot 46-percent from the floor including 5-of-12 from the perimeter. MC's defense held LaGrange to only 27-percent from the floor including only 3-of-14 from long distance.
A strong third-quarter start pushed Maryville's lead to nine after quick baskets by Wandell, Eckenrod, and Jordan Heifner. A long three-pointer by Meredith Ward gave the Scots their largest lead at 10 (47-37) before LaGrange went on a 6-0 run to close the quarter 49-43.
LaGrange fought back with a 10-2 run to begin the final quarter. The Panthers took a brief 53-51 lead before the Scots answered with an 8-2 run that featured key baskets from four different players. A Shelby Hix three-pointer off a Kelley Wandell offensive board and assist proved to be the final dagger to help MC separate for the hard-fought road victory.
LaGrange (8-1, 8-1 USA South) finished the game hitting 24-percent from the floor. Jahpera McEachin paced the Panthers with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Megan English and Jalaya Lewis each added 10 points. Breonna Glover tossed in 10 rebounds.
Maryville (9-0, 9-0 USA South) shot 40-percent from the floor and outrebounded the Panthers 50-46 including Wandell's 18 boards. The senior from Clinton, Tennessee had a complete effort with four assists, three steals, and six blocked shots. Courtney Carruthers added 13 points while Elsa Eckenrod contributed five assists while sinking a dozen points. Jordan Heifner and Shelby Hix each finished with 10 points.
"I'm proud of the toughness and resolve of this team," stated Maryville College Head Coach Darrin Travillian. "We definitely had to find creative ways to get it gone, and this team made it happen. We knew the backboards would be crucial, and Kelley was a force inside. I anticipate another battle on Saturday against a really good LaGrange squad."
The No.12 ranked Scots will return to the Boydson Baird Gymnasium on Saturday to host LaGrange College at 3:00 p.m.
