Coker Cans Lees-McRae, 84-74

Courtesy of Kevin Young, Lees-McRae SID
2/21/2009

BANNER ELK, N.C. - The Lees-McRae College Lady Bobcats couldn't hold off the Coker College Lady as they fell 84-74 Saturday afternoon on Senior Day in Williams Gymnasium.

Coker jumped out a 12-5 lead with just over three minutes into the game, but Lees-McRae rallied to cut the lead to 12-10 on an Ashley Holland field goal make with 14:10 on the clock in the first half.

The Lady Cobras responded with 6-0 run to extend the lead to 18-10 on an Lotta Aaltonen field gaol, and the lead hit ten, 25-15 two minutes later when Henna Koponen made a field goal.

But Lees-McRae would rally on a 10-0 run to tie the game at 27 wit 4:26 remaining in the half. The two teams alternated the lead twice before the Cobras took a 35-30 lead with 1:36 left.

Two Cortney Furr free throws and a Renee Roberson field goal cut the lead to 35-34 going into the locker rooms.

After the break there was four lead changes in three minutes and eight lead changes in seven minutes before the Lady Cobras opened the game with an 8-1 run to take a nine point lead, 56-47, with 10:38 remaining in the game.

Two minutes the lead hit twelve, 66-54, on two Skip Gibson free throws. The Cobras stayed just out of reach and finished the game with an 84-74 lead.

The Bobcats were 43 percent from the floor and 34 percent from three, while Coker was 43 percent from overall and 22 percent behind the three-point arc.

The Lady Bobcats scored 27 points from three, while the Lady Cobras only notched six points.

Coker took advantage of 24 Lees-McRae turnovers to score 20 points. Lees-McRae scored 11 points off 17 Coker turnovers.

Ashley Holland led the Lady Bobcats with 19 points, while Furr, a senior, added 16 points, 12 of which were from three. Lauren Casey earned a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Casey also dished out a team high five assists.

Koponen led all scorers with 30 points, and Aatlonen recorded a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Lady Cobras. Gibson chipped in 10 points.

Lees-McRae will host Erskine College Tuesday, February 24th at 5:30 p.m. for their next game, while Coker will host Anderson also on Tuesday.