Portsmouth, Ohio – Shawnee State women's basketball opened the season with a blowout win on Friday night, as the No. 2 Bears routed Kentucky Christian 110-37 at Waller Gymnasium.
SSU would never trail on the night, building up an early lead in the first quarter. Ashton Lovely (SR/Jamestown, Ohio) hit three early field goals to lead the Bears to a 10-3 lead in the first. SSU's lead would continue to grow, eventually growing to 13 points on Hagen Schaefer (SO/Portsmouth, Ohio)'s buzzer-beating lay-up, leading 20-7 after one quarter.
SSU would dismantle the Lady Knights defense in the second quarter. SSU went on a 15-0 run to start the period, sparked by a four-point play from Schaefer, who would add to the run with another three later. Sydney Foster would break the run with a bucket for KCU, but Shania Massie (SR/Greenfield, Ohio) would immediately answer that on the other end, whose lay-in on a slick pass from Lovely would spark another long run, as SSU scored 16 straight points to end the quarter. Lovely scored 13 of those 16 points, hitting two threes to end the quarter as SSU led 51-9 at the break, a team record for fewest points allowed in a half.
SSU's onslaught would continue in the second half as the Bears put the game away. The lead would eventually grow to 58 points in the third quarter as SSU doubled up KCU 32-16, with Massie scoring seven in the period to lead the Bears. SSU would empty the bench in the fourth quarter. KCU's Lexie Gilliland would score her 1,000th career point in the fourth, but the Bears continued to build the lead, with Marnae Holland (FR/Strongsville, Ohio)'s three-point play to end the game giving Shawnee State a 110-37 win.
Shawnee State shot .506 from the field and were .370 from three, significantly better than Kentucky Christian, who shot .235 from the field and .200 from three. The Bears went 40-79 overall and 10-27 from behind the arc. Shawnee State outrebounded KCU 49-24, and had 17 assists to KCU's nine. SSU also limited turnovers, giving the ball away only 10 times to Kentucky Christian's 25.
Ashton Lovely led five Bears with 24 points, while also grabbing six rebounds and four assists. Bailey Cummins (JR/Brooksville, Kentucky) added 15 points and five assists, and Hagen Schaefer had a career-high 14 points off the bench. Shania Massie had 12 points and four assists, while Sydney King (JR/Birmingham, Alabama) had 11 in her first action for SSU.
Lexie Gilliland led Kentucky Christian with 12 points on the evening. Jordan Holt added 11 for the Lady Knights.
The win sees Shawnee State begin the season 1-0. Kentucky Christian fall to 0-2, having also lost to Cincinnati Christian in their opener. SSU is now 5-0 all-time against Kentucky Christian, with Friday's game being the most lopsided win in the series so far.
Shawnee State women's basketball returns to action on Saturday, October 27 against Northwestern Ohio. Tipoff from Waller Gymnasium is set for 2:00pm.
