Big Second Quarter Lifts Findlay Past the Storm
Painesville, Ohio – The University of Findlay women's basketball team played the Lake Erie Storm for the second time in three days on Monday, Feb. 1. Two days ago in Croy, the Oilers had no issues handling the Storm and today in Painesville was no different. Findlay used a big second quarter to separate themselves, ultimately earning an 88-62 victory and improving to 8-7 on the year. Lake Erie falls to 1-11 with the loss.
Despite the lopsided victory for the Orange and Black, it was the Storm who held the lead for much of the first quarter, although that lead was never more than three points. Findlay did, however, take a 20-19 lead through the first ten minutes of the game.
With the game tied at 24-24, junior Paige Bellman made a layup that started an 18-5 run to close the half which gave the visiting Oilers a 42-29 lead at the break.
Findlay controlled the rest of the game, outscoring the Storm by 13 in the second half to secure the 26-point victory.
The Oilers shot the ball well, making 34-of-71 from the field that included 6-of-18 from deep. A big factor to Findlay's success was their ability to protect the ball as the visiting Oilers turned the ball over a season-low ten times while forcing Lake Erie into 22 turnovers which led to 18 points.
As is often the case, Findlay's lengthy forwards dominated the paint to the tune of 52 points while allowing just 24 points.
One of those forwards, junior Sydney Kin, turned in yet another herculean performance as she poured in 29 points on 12-of-20 from the floor. Monday's performance marked the ninth consecutive game that Kin has eclipsed the 20-point mark and the eighth time in nine games she has eclipsed the 25-point mark. The Carey, Ohio native also grabbed ten rebounds to collect her seventh double-double of the season which ties her for second in the country in double-doubles.
Not to be outdone, junior Bridget Landin secured her sixth double-double of the season by scoring 12 points and collecting a game-high 11 rebounds. She also had three assists and three steals to round out a solid performance on the road.
Junior Amber Schweiger scored 15 points and led Oilers with five assists, breaking her streak of three straight games with double-digit assists. Senior Allison Utterback continued her solid play by scoring 12 points that included a trio of threes.
The Oilers are off until Saturday, Feb. 6 when they will travel to Hillsdale to take on the Chargers. That game will tip at 1:00 pm.