With a dominant first half and an all-around team effort, the Park University Gilbert women's basketball team cruised to a 15-point win 70-55 over Embry Riddle in Prescott, Ariz., this evening. The Buccaneers up their record to 11-7 overall and 9-2 in the California Pacific Conference. Embry Riddle falls to 8-11, 6-5 in conference play.
The Bucs jumped out early and never let up. In the first quarter behind seven points from Kayla Schroeder and six from Jenny Todd, the Bucs jumped on top 21-8. Park shot 56 percent from the floor in the quarter and set the tone for what would become a long afternoon for the Eagles.
Park would maintain a double digit lead for the remainder of the game and increased its advantage to 18 by halftime. Four players posted four points in the quarter.
The third quarter saw the Bucs step on the gas pedal early increasing its advantage to as many as 25 before a talented Eagles team made a run to cut the lead down to 15 at the end of the quarter. Jazmyne Jenkins led the squad with six points in the quarter.
The final stanza was played to a 13-13 tie as both teams struggled from the floor. Park built the lead back up to 20 and started to milk the clock as the game drew closer to a conclusion. ERAU hit some shots down the stretch to cut to as close as 13 but by this time, the game was well in hand and a group of happy Buccaneers prepared to make the road trip south back to Gilbert with a second double digit win over the preseason conference favorite.
The Buccaneers nine wins in conference have come by an average of 12.4 points per game.
Overall, the Bucs shot 41 percent from the floor which is due in part to a poor shooting fourth quarter when the game was well in hand. They only made five three-point shots for the game but have made at least five in 16 of their 18 games this season. The Bucs held ERAU to 33 percent shooting and outrebounded them 44-41 while forcing 17 turnovers.
Individually, the Buccaneers showed they can be more than a one woman show as Jenkins had one of her best games of the season, leading the team with 16 points. She added five rebounds and two steals. Schroeder had perhaps her worst shooting night from long range of the season, only making one of nine attempts from three-point range, but was efficient in her mid-range game to finish with 15 points.
Madison Chappell was dominant on the boards leading the team with nine rebounds. Jayla Reliford returned to the lineup to score 10 points, dish out five assists and the conference steals leader made four thefts on the evening.
The Buccos return home to take on La Sierra on Saturday evening at the Arizona Athletic Grounds in Mesa, Ariz., starting at 6:30. The Bucs beat the Eagles by 16 in Riverside, Calif., in December. The Eagles lost a tough fought 59-55 battle to Benedictine Mesa this evening.
