MONTGOMERY, Ala. – In a game of runs and momentum shifts, the Martin Methodist Women's Basketball team saved its best surge for last as it capitalized on a 13-0 run in the game's final three minutes to secure a 68-56 victory over Auburn University (Ala.) Montgomery in the Opening Round of the 2014 Southern States Athletic Conference Championship Wednesday morning at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl.
Falling behind by nine points to start the game, the RedHawks (23-8) shook off their rust midway through the period thanks to sharp shooting against a 2-3 zone look by the Warhawks. After busting the Warhawks out of the zone, the RedHawks took their first lead with 6:45 left in the first half at 23-22. With their first lead secured, the RedHawks added eight more points to take a 31-24 halftime lead. For the half, the RedHawks closed on a 14-2 run.
In the second half, the RedHawks would use a Warhawk man-to-man defensive look to their advantage as they raced out to a 41-27 lead midway through the period on a 24-5 run.
The lead would quickly be dissolved, however, as the Warhawks turned in a 23-9 run of their own to tie the ballgame at 50-50 with 9:08 remaining in the contest.
Knotted late in the half, the two sides began to trade buckets before the RedHawks took a lead for good with a triple from Rachel Brown with 4:38 left in the ballgame to push the lead to 58-56.
After a pair of empty offensive trips, the RedHawks finally pushed ahead by double-digits when Janasia Williams intercepted a pass near midcourt, tiptoed her way along the sideline and raced to the hoop for a layup and her first points of the ballgame.
In a game of runs, the RedHawks used their final surge – a 13-0 spurt – to close the ballgame.
Senior Tyffani Fenwick scored a career-high 27 points and sank a career-best five 3-pointers to help pace the RedHawk offense.
Brown finished with 16 points – nine of which came from beyond the arc – as the duo combined for 43 of the club's 68 points. Third senior Kyra Knight added six points – all in the second half – in the victory.
And while Williams and fellow freshman Kyoko Wade finished with just six combined points, all six came in the game's final three minutes to help push the RedHawks ahead for good.
Fellow freshman Abby Clayton added seven points – all in the first half – for the RedHawks, just one off her career high.
Junior forward Tina Odume scored 19 points in the loss for the Warhawks (14-15).
The win marked a measure of revenge for the RedHawks, who suffered a heartbreaking 61-58 overtime defeat to the Warhawks when the teams met in Montgomery earlier this season.
With the win, the RedHawks picked up their first-ever victory in the SSAC Conference Tournament and earned a date with No. 1 East seed Southern Poly (Ga.) State University (22-6) in the tournament quarterfinals Thursday.
Tipoff is set for 9 a.m. at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.
