Lady Indians open season with win over No. 12 Three Rivers
Adam Gore/LetsGoICC.com
FULTON, MS – A strong second half helped lead the defending NCJAA Region 23 champion ICC Lady Indians past No. 12 Three Rivers Community College Lady Raiders, 89-75, to open the season in front of a ruckus Davis Event Center on Monday.
"I got a little worried when we kind of bowed down to them late in the first half, but we got some things rectified during halftime," said ICC head coach Nanci Gray. "Our kids came out and just played their hearts out in the second half to be able to get back in the game and find a way to win."
Down 38-32 at the break, sophomore Lytia Coleman (Memphis, TN) scored 10 second-half points while Latoya Collins (Forest Hill) added 10 of her 16 points in the second half.
"We've worked hard getting ready for the season," said Collins. "I'm really proud of how our freshmen stepped up tonight and kept pushing to be able to get this win."
Jayla Chills (Ripley) scored a game-high 21 points in her collegiate debut while fellow freshmen Lanikki McMillian (Pontotoc) added 12 and Kaelin Kneeland (Center Hill) 2 with Justice Martin (HW Byers), Ricki Hooker (Olive Branch), and Jeronia Allen (Minden, LA) adding significant minutes in the win.
"I told the freshman after the game that their not freshman anymore," Gray commented. "They've played in their first collegiate game and now everything should be old hat now."
Sophomore Leslie Robinson (Belmont) added 16 points with Rebecca Payne (Birmingham, AL) chipping 6 points for the Lady Indians.
Things won't get any easier for the Lady Indians (1-0, 0-0 MACJC North) as they open their four-game road stint at Snead State Community College on Thursday before facing No. 9 Shelton State Community College, Jones County Junior College, and Meridian Community College before returning to Fulton against Shelton in December.
"It's pretty tough playing on the road, but it's going to be important for us to be able to get ready for the rest of the season," said
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