Box Score LITTLE ROCK, Ark.?Crystal Kelly shot 11 of 13 from field scoring 26 points to lead Western Kentucky over the University of Arkansas-Little Rock Lady Trojans 80-59 in the Jack Stephens Center Thursday. The Lady Toppers (11-4, 1-1) shot 62.7 percent from the floor and scored 52 of their points in the paint.
“They were wearing us down in the paint,” said head coach Joe Foley. “This team has experience. When a team wins the battle in the paint, they win the ballgame. Jocelyn and Heather kept us going, but a team can't win a ballgame from just the perimeter.”
Heather Morris led the team with 17 points including two three-pointers and led the team in assists with five.
Renee Renz contributed 16 points and led the team in rebounds with six, while Jocelyn Love knocked in 12 points. Both Renz and Love contributed a team high of two steals.
UALR (8-7, 0-2) and Western Kentucky battled in the first half with each team keeping within four points. At the 6:20 mark, Cammie Campbell knocked down a three-pointer to give the Lady Toppers a six point lead.
The Trojans cut the lead to two on a jumper by Renz and free throws by Jessica Brown before WKU pushed points to take their greatest lead of the half at seven.
A layup and one by Andrea Keys inched the Trojans closer with a 35-31 half-time deficit.
WKU jumped out to an eight point lead in the beginning minutes of the second half before a three-pointer by Morris at the 17:59 mark cut the lead to five.
After each team traded baskets, Renz scored seven consecutive points to tie the score at 43 with 15:56 remaining.
Over the next six minutes, the Lady Toppers went on a 14-7 run before scoring 12 consecutive points to give them a 69-50 lead.
Love hit a three-point shot to cut the lead to 16, but Western Kentucky relied on Kelly to score seven of their remaining 11 points to win 80-59.
Arkansas-Little Rock continues conference action at home on Saturday against Middle Tennessee. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
