| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our Lady of the Lake (Tex 14-7, 9-1 | 14 | 20 | 29 | 16 | 79 |
| St. Thomas (Texas) 9-9, 5-5 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 61 |
| Jan. 26, 2017 | |||||
| Houston, TX | |||||
| Our Lady of the Lake (Tex | Indv. Leaders | St. Thomas (Texas) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Players - 17 | Points | #1 Taylor Forrest - 20 |
| #20 Alyssa Ward - 5 | Rebounds | #33 Chante Jefferson - 10 |
| 2 Players (#5,#23) - 3 | Assists | 2 Players (#1,#3) - 5 |
| Our Lady of the Lake (Tex | Team Statistics | St. Thomas (Texas) |
|---|---|---|
| 36.4% (28 - 77) | Field Goals % | 38.8% (19 - 49) |
| 35.5% (11 - 31) | 3 Point Field Goals % | 50% (8 - 16) |
| 60% (12 - 20) | Free Throws | 65.2% (15 - 23) |
| 39 | Rebounds | 48 |
| 11 | Assists | 12 |
| 9 | Turnovers | 31 |
| 11 | 2nd Chance Pts | 10 |
HOUSTON (Jan. 26, 2017) – The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) Saints women's basketball team defeated the University of St. Thomas (UST) Celts in a Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) game, winning 79-61.
The No. 18-ranked Saints improve to 14-7 on the season and 9-1 in conference, currently sitting second in the RRAC standings. The Celts drop to .500 for the season with a 9-9 overall record and 5-5 conference record.
Four OLLU players scored in double figures with three Saints tied for the team-high with 17 points. Jessika Montalvo (SR/Naples, Fla.) was the most efficient of the trio, scoring her 17 points on 8-for-12 shooting to go with four steals, three rebounds and three assists.
"It was a solid defensive effort. I thought our pressure was effective and we started making shots in the second half," Head Coach Christopher Minner said. "It was a good road win. We need to stay focused for the next one."
The Saints, who lead the NAIA in steals per game with 14.7, nearly doubled their season average with 27, forcing 31 UST turnovers while OLLU only committed nine turnovers. The defensive pressure helped the Saints gain a 28-8 edge in points off turnovers, as OLLU attempted 77 shots to UST's 49.
OLLU blew the game open with a 29-18 third quarter, forcing 10 turnovers and getting seven points from Alyssa Ward (SR/Palmeto, Fla.). The Saints also managed five 3-pointers in the quarter, including two each from Ward and Julia Rendon (JR/San Antonio, Texas). Francesca Patrick (JR/Killeen, Texas) hit the other one.
Rendon continued her torrid shooting pace, adding five 3-pointers (on 14 attempts) to her NAIA-leading total, which now stands at 69. In addition to scoring 17 points, Rendon added two steals. Ward scored her 17 points on 14 shots, adding five rebounds and three steals. Patrick had 11 points, three assists and three steals off the bench as the fourth Saint in double figures.
Taylor Forrest led three UST players in double figures, scoring 20 points and contributing five assists. Maghen Lormand had 12 points and seven rebounds. Chante Jefferson produced a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The Saints will travel to Tyler, Texas, on Saturday, Jan. 28, to face the Texas College Steers before a four-game home stand through the first half of February. The Saints lead the all-time series versus the Steers 13-2.
Our Lady of the Lake University is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2016-2017 as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The University began competing in the NAIA in men's soccer and volleyball in 2007. A year later, they added women's soccer, golf and tennis. In 2009, the Saints began competing in cross-country, softball and basketball. In 2014, OLLU added two more sports — baseball and track and field. There are now 13 intercollegiate athletic teams at OLLU. All athletic alumni and up to two family members will receive free admission to basketball and volleyball games throughout the season. Baseball is not included in this special offer. All other home games are free and open to the public.