Byron Coleman was feeling pretty good about having 10 sophomores – with six of those returning from last year – on his squad heading into the 2015-2016 season. After Monday, the Angelina College Lady Roadrunner head coach is pretty high on his new faces, too.
Freshman Mikayla Crockett knocked down five three pointers on her way to a game-high 19 points, and fellow freshmen Tyanna Barlow and LaNeique Nealey added 10 points each to lead AC to a 68-52 win over Wiley College Monday night at Shands Gymnasium.
Guards Crockett and Barlow gave AC a perimeter game, while post players and sophomores Caitlyn Lambert (seven points) and Ashley Cherry (six points) held down the middle. Wiley’s Alexis Bernstine led the Wildcats with 11 points; Anika Nottingham added eight more.
Playing under the NCAA’s new rules for women’s college basketball, the teams played four 10-minute quarters rather than the previous two 20-minute halves. AC led 11-3 after the first quarter behind threes from Crockett and Briana Caro, pushed the margin to 27-18 before the half and kept the lead at double digits at 43-33 at the end of the third. In each period, Wiley was able to put together scoring runs, only to have the Lady ‘Runners answer with big defensive plays leading to big shots.
The Lady Roadrunners open the regular season Friday at the McLennan Classic in Waco. AC will play McLennan College at 2 p.m. on Friday and Temple College at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
The e-mail address for Angelina College’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu
