PULASKI, Tenn. – The UT Southern women's basketball team turned a halftime deadlock into a decisive victory Monday evening, outscoring Rust College by 45-26 in the second half to secure a 74-55 win inside the Curry Athletic Complex.
The Firehawks improved to 2-2 on the season with the victory and will now face a quick turnaround, traveling to McKenzie, Tennessee, on Tuesday for a rivalry showdown against No. 4 Bethel University.
After falling behind 20-15 at the end of the first quarter, UT Southern settled in defensively and began to control the game on the boards. The Firehawks limited the Bearcats to just nine second-quarter points and erased the deficit to enter halftime tied at 29-29.
The contest remained close early in the third quarter before UT Southern found another gear. A three-pointer from Kaegan Young helped ignite the Firehawks' offense, and UT Southern outscored Rust 21-15 in the period to take a 50-44 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Firehawks put the game away over the final 10 minutes. UT Southern held Rust to just 11 fourth-quarter points while stretching the lead to as many as 21 points. The Bearcats shot just 23.3 percent from the floor for the game as the Firehawks' defense and rebounding proved too much to overcome.
A balanced attack led the way for UT Southern. Lauren Smith recorded a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds while adding two blocked shots. Taya Totten scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Kaegan Young finished with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds to go along with six assists. Abbilyn Teter added 10 points as four Firehawks reached double figures.
UT Southern dominated the glass throughout the evening, outrebounding Rust 61-32 and collecting 17 offensive rebounds. The Firehawks also tallied 19 assists and seven blocks while receiving 32 points from their bench.
By the Numbers
- Lauren Smith: 14 points, 15 rebounds, 2 blocks
- Taya Totten: 12 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists
- Kaegan Young: 12 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists
- Abbilyn Teter: 10 points
- UT Southern outrebounded Rust 61-32
- Firehawk bench scored 32 points
- Rust shot 23.3 percent from the field
UT Southern returns to action Tuesday night when the Firehawks travel to McKenzie to take on No. 4 Bethel University in a battle between longtime rivals.
FOLLOW THE FIREHAWKS
Tap in with everything happening around UT Southern Athletics and keep up with the Firehawks all season long.
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/utsathletics
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utsouthernathletics
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UTSouthernFirehawks
Scores, highlights, announcements, behind-the-scenes content, and more — stay connected and rep the Firehawks everywhere you go. Go Firehawks!
