Portsmouth, Ohio – Shawnee State women's basketball bounced back with a win on Saturday, defeating Virgin Islands 82-52 to wrap up the Penn Station Classic at Waller Gymnasium.
Despite a slow start to the game, Shawnee State would end the first quarter with the lead. Tied at 4-4 with 5:16 to go, SSU would score the next seven points, with Laken Smith (SO/Waverly, Ohio) starting the run with a tough shot in the post. Hagen Schaefer (SO/Portsmouth, Ohio) followed with a three, and Ashton Lovely (SR/Jamestown, Ohio) would hit a lay-up to put SSU up 11-4. UVI would get a pair of free throws from Asia Vetter to cut the lead back down to five, but King, Lovely and Smith would hit three straight shots to put SSU up 17-6. UVI would then go on a mini-run, scoring the final six points of the half to cut the lead to 17-12 after one quarter.
The Bears would get the lead back out to double-digits early in the second quarter. Leading 19-14, Laken Smith would score in the post, then rebound a Vetter miss on the other end. Lovely then hit a three to put SSU up 24-14. Kysha Barbel responded with a three, but the Bears would hold off the Buccaneers, then get the lead back to 10 on a three by Lovely and post shot from Natalie Zuchowski (FR/Ravenna, Ohio). SSU would not lead by less than 10 the rest of the way, building up their lead to as many as 17 in the second quarter on a Shania Massie (SR/Greenfield, Ohio) three. UVI would again go on a small run to cut the lead back down before halftime, as Shawnee State led 39-29 at the break.
The third quarter would see Shawnee State slowly build their lead back up. King made a shot to put SSU up 52-35, getting the lead back to 17. After Laura Costello hit a shot to cut the lead back to 15 at 54-39, Bailey Cummins (JR/Brooksville, Kentucky) would drain a three to put the Bears up 18. Vetter would get a tough lay-in to go just moments later, but Massie would hit to extend the lead to 19 points. Laken Smith then hit one of two free throws to put the Bears up 20, and SSU would lead by 24 at the end of the third, going up 65-41.
The fourth quarter would see Shawnee State put the game in cruise control. The lead reached 30 late as Cassie Bentley (FR/McArthur, Ohio) hit a pair of free throws to put SSU up 80-49. Marnae Holland (FR/Strongsville, Ohio) then hit a lay-in on the other end to put SSU up by a game-high 33 at 82-49. Skyler Hatfield hit a three near the end of the game, but that shot would only cut the lead to 30 as SSU cruised to an 82-52 win.
The Bears shot 46.2% from the field, and 42.9% from three. SSU held Virgin Islands to 29.0% from the field, and outrebounded the Buccaneers 45-27 on the day. Both teams had 17 turnovers, but SSU had 16 assists to UVI's seven.
Ashton Lovely had a game-high 21 points in the win. Shania Massie added 15, Sienna King (SO/Shelby, Ohio) had 12 and Laken Smith added 10 on the day.
Skyler Hatfield had 18 points to lead Virgin Islands. Laura Costello had 15 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double.
The win improves Shawnee State to 9-3 on the season. Virgin Islands falls to 4-14 on the campaign.
Shawnee State women's basketball return to action on Sunday, December 16 when they take on Interamericana (P.R.) on day one of the Porto del Sol Classic in Rincon, Puerto Rico. Tipoff time has yet to be announced.
