Grace extends winning streak to four
MISHAWKA, Ind. – Grace’s women’s basketball team completed a season sweep of rival Bethel, sinking the Pilots 79-66 on Saturday.
The Lady Lancers (14-12, 8-6 Crossroads League) stretched their season-long winning streak to four games and continued to climb the league standings. Grace now sits in a three-way tie for fourth place with four games remaining in the regular season.
Brooke Sugg and Vironnica Drake each topped 20 points in the win. Sugg had 22 points to lead all players, and Drake added 21 points and 10 boards.
The two teams wasted little time getting their offenses in sync; the first quarter alone saw 41 combined points scored.
Sugg was electric for Grace. She scored Grace’s first 11 points over the first four minutes, including a trio of 3-pointers.
The Pilots (10-16, 2-12 CL) managed to keep pace despite Sugg’s outburst. Sugg hit another 3-pointer late in the quarter, her fourth of the period, and Grace led 21-20 after 10 minutes.
Bethel earned its first lead of the game in the second quarter and held a slight 30-27 edge.
Lauren Godfrey and Brooke Treadway then sparked Grace back in front with two quick baskets. Soon after Drake scored four straight points, and Sugg buried her fifth triple to give Grace an eight-point lead.
The Lady Lancers rode that momentum to a 40-33 advantage at halftime. Grace forced Bethel into 15 turnovers before halftime, leading to 19 points. Sugg’s 17 points led all players.
In the third quarter, Bethel went on an 8-0 spurt thanks to an almost four-minute drought by Grace.
Sugg broke Grace’s dry spell with her sixth 3-pointer of the game, putting the Lady Lancers ahead 45-44. Grace would not surrender that lead the rest of the game.
Bethel was unable to score for the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, and Grace slowly pulled away for the final 13-point margin of victory.
For the game, Grace shot 44 percent from the floor compared to 37 percent for Bethel. Grace also outrebounded the Pilots by five and forced Bethel into 23 turnovers.
Grace scored 44 of its points in the paint and had 27 points off turnovers.
Sugg’s 22 points came with 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals; she shot 6-of-13 from beyond the arc.
Drake stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points, 10 points, 5 assists and 4 steals.
Kaylie Warble had 13 points and eight boards while shooting 6-of-8 from the floor, Treadway added 12 points and six rebounds, and Kyannah Stull chipped in 7 points, 4 boards, 4 assists and 3 steals.
The Lady Lancers are back on the road Wednesday, playing at St. Francis at 6 p.m. as part of a doubleheader.