Junior guard Jasmine Newsome broke the Ohio Valley Conference tournament record for most points in a game as the Skyhawks took down the Eastern Kentucky Colonels 78-63.
At times this season the Skyhawks have had issues getting going early in the game. This trend continued against the Colonels, who started the game with a 14-0 run. Newsome would strike with a 3-point shot with 13:20 left in the half for the Skyhawks first points of the game, but the team had a long way to go before they could overcome the 14 point deficit they had been dealt.
The team struggled to find anything that resembled a groove during the first half. Newsome was the only member of the team keeping them in the game totaling 24 of the teams 28 points in the early stages of the game.
“All we were worried about was getting into some kind of rhythm and getting something going where we could get som
e consistency out of it and it became Jasmine,” said head coach Kevin McMillan. “We quit coaching and said, ‘Jasmine, you’re gonna take care of it for us,’ and she did.”
The Skyhawks other guard, Heather Butler, was missing in action during the first half, but she came up big in the second half and helped propel her team to victory. After not scoring at all in the first half, Butler would quickly score 21 points while Newsome would add 24 more to her already outstanding day.
“We all didn’t want to lose,” said Newsome. “When they’re paying attention more to her[Butler]then that leaves it open for me and vice versa. Without her I wouldn’t have had 41 points.”
The two combined for a total 62 points, one point less than the entire Colonels team had in the game.
Newsome’s OVC tournament record 41 points was also a career high for her. She tallied nine rebounds, two assist and two steals. Butler finished the game with 21 points, six rebounds and two assist.
Senior forward Rickiesha Bryant totaled nine points, team-highs with both 11 rebounds and six blocks, one assist and one steal.
The Skyhawks will return to action against Eastern Illinois Friday, March 7, as they continue their quest for the OVC championship. Tipoff is set for noon. To keep up with the game, follow The Pacer on Facebook and Twitter, @ThePacer.
