Back-to-Back! Patton Nets 31 as Women’s Basketball Trumps Central Penn, 106-39

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Marygrove women’s basketball went back-to-back, winning their second game in as many days in Buffalo, N.Y. as the Mustangs ran away with an emphatic 106-39 victory on Saturday (Oct. 31) over the Knights of Central Penn College on day two of the Hart Hotels Classic hosted by Villa Maria College.  The Mustangs eclipsed the century-mark for the first time since Jan. 7, 2012 when the Green and Gold bested St. Clair College (Canada), 102-45.

The win lifted the Mustangs to the program’s first 2-0 start since becoming an NAIA program in 2007 and the 67-point decision marked the largest victory in terms of margin since Dec. 11, 2011 against Great Lakes Christian.

Led by a barrage of early three-pointers by newcomer Taylor Kelley (Farmington Hills, Mich./Adrian College), the Mustangs were able to jump out to a narrow lead after one quarter before using a 31-15 advantage in the second quarter to take a comfortable 47-25 lead at the halftime break.

Kelley poured in four first-half three-pointers, pacing the Mustangs with 14 points while Elisha Major (Flushing, Mich./Flushing High School) tallied 13 of her own at the break. As a team, the Mustangs forced 20 first-half turnovers as the Knights struggled to get anything going from the floor.

Strong team defense and a career half on the offensive end for sophomore guard Shavarra Patton (Detroit, Mich./Northwestern High School) set the tone for the second consecutive day as the Green and Gold held the Knights to 14 points 24-percent shooting in the second half.

Patton, who tallied a career-high 31 points, outscored the Knights by herself in the second half after dropping in 24 in the latter stanza. The sophomore guard helped finish off the lopsided106-39 victory with an 11-for-14 performance from the field in 28 minutes of action. Patton was also one five Mustangs with five or more steals as Major led the way defensively with seven thefts.

The Mustangs forced 42 turnovers – the most during the Coach Covington era – to turn in a 58-19 advantage in points off turnovers. For the second day in a row, rebounding was key for the Mustangs as the Green and Gold reeled in 28 offensive boards (55 overall) to own a 27-3 advantage in second-chance points. The 42 turnovers by the Knights also led to a 28-2 edge for the Mustangs in points off turnovers.

After Patton’s career-high 31 points, Major checked in with a career-best 27 points of her own while recording seven steals and six assists. Kelley’s four first-half three’s led the Mustangs’ new guard to a 19-point game on 5-of-8 shooting from distance.

Breanna Thomas (San Antonio, Texas/Gillette CC) perhaps the most impressive of all on Saturday afternoon, recording a near quadruple-double with an almost unreal stat-line of 17 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists and six steals. Thomas has been one of many players to impress Covington in the early stages of the season.

“Bre has been incredible to start the season for us,” said Covington after the game. “As a team, we put together another well-rounded effort, but this is just the start of a long, difficult season for us. We look forward to continue growing as a team and working hard as the conference season nears.”

Thomas’ “video-game” numbers also marked the first triple-double in the Covington era as the Mustangs ended an impressive 2-0 march in New York to open the 2015-16 campaign.

The Mustangs will look to go 3-0 on the young season when they travel to Lansing, Mich. to take on Great Lakes Christian College at 7 p.m. on Wednesday (Nov. 4).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CONTACT: Tim Johnston | [email protected]/* */ | @tjohnston56
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