PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — Behind a 23-4 run between the second and third quarters of play and a 30-10 fourth-quarter swing, the Shawnee State women's basketball program (3-1) defeated Simmons (Ky.) (2-3), holding the Falcons to 26.9 percent shooting from the field (14-of-52) in an 81-42 victory for the Bears Wednesday afternoon at Waller Gymnasium in a Courtside Cubs Community Game that was held at 11 a.m. and treated approximately 650 kids to free college basketball.

Shawnee State, who took a 12-5 lead to begin the game behind five early points from Jonilyah Chambers and a three-point field goal from Emily Maynard, extended its lead to a 20-11 count on back-to-back threes by Maynard with 8:27 to play in the second quarter and got back-to-back baskets from Miyoshi Ellis with 6:04 remaining in the first half to keep its lead hovering at nine, 24-15.

Simmons was able to cut Shawnee State's lead slightly as the Falcons pulled within 26-19 with 3:43 to play in the second frame, but a 5-0 response to end the half by the Bears was capped by back-to-back baskets by Kyla Torok and local product Savannah Cantrell, giving the Bears a 31-19 advantage just before the halftime break.

From the 3:43 mark of the second quarter to the 1:41 mark of the third frame, Shawnee State allowed just one Simmons field goal as the Bears ultimately went on a collective 23-4 blitz of the Falcons during that frame, with eight different Shawnee State players -- Cantrell, Chambers, Ellis, Maynard, Torok, Ra'Khyia Prince and Skylar Kelser -- scoring in that spurt as SSU took a 49-23 lead with 2:31 to play. The Bears ultimately settled for a 51-32 advantage at the end of the third frame as a result.

In the fourth quarter, Makenzie Daubenmire and Kenya Peck came off of the bench to supply 11 of Shawnee State's first 13 points in the fourth quarter, extending the Bears' lead to a 63-35 advantage with 6:42 remaining to essentially help Shawnee State put the game on ice. For the contest, Ra'Khyia Prince ultimately finished with a game-high, and a new career-high, of 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field while nabbing a pair of steals while Miyoshi Ellis finished with 12 points and three assists on 5-of-6 shooting. Emily Maynard added in 12 points and 10 rebounds while going 4-of-8 from three-point range in the contest to round out the double-figure scorers.

In addition to the above trio, Kenya Peck finished with a career-high nine points and three rebounds on 4-of-6 shooting while Jonilyah Chambers collected seven points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals. Kyla Torok led Shawnee State with 13 rebounds to go along with six points and three assists while Makenzie Daubenmire finished with six points, also a new career-high.

A total of 12 players finished in the scoring column with Skylar Kesler (five points, two steals, one block), TK Catchings (four points, two steals), Laken Williams (three assists, two points), Jaden Tucker (two points, two steals) and Savannah Cantrell (two points) all reaching the scoring column.