WBB Weekend Recap | November 16 & 17, 2018
The Lakeland Rustlers Women's Basketball team took on The Kings University Eagles over the weekend, in what would be two important games for the Rustlers.
Friday night in Lloydminster, both teams started slowly in the first quarter, struggling to score. After ten minutes of play, the Rustlers led 13-10. The scoring picked up in the second quarter, with the Eagles finding ways to score inside, and the Rustlers knocking down shots from beyond the arc. The Rustlers improved 3-point shooting helped them build a 34-26 lead at the half.
In the second half, the Rustlers picked up the effort and intensity on the defensive end, holding the Eagles to just five points in the quarter. The Rustlers moved the ball on the offensive end, scoring 16 points of their own, increasing their lead to 50-31 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, the Eagles tried to make a push, outscoring the Rustlers by two, but the Rustlers lead held up, as they would go on the win 67-46.
The Rustlers were led by second year guard Kaitlyn Tonita with 20 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals, earning her Player of the Game. Third year guard Ally Pilgrim added nine points and two rebounds for the Rustlers, who also got seven points and seven rebounds from second year forward Bilge Topaloglu.
Saturday night, the Rustlers traveled to Edmonton, looking to defeat the Eagles and earn their first sweep of the season. Both teams struggled early on, missing shots and turning the ball over. The teams eventually found their scoring touch, and the Eagles led 11-7 at the end of the first quarter. The shooting struggles continued in the second quarter, with both teams just trying to get to 20 points at the half. The Rustlers outscored the Eagles by three in the quarter but still found themselves trailing 20-19 at the half.
The scoring picked up in the second half, as the teams went back and forth for much of the final 20 minutes. The Rustlers outscored the Eagles again in the third quarter, helping them take a 36-33 into the fourth. In the fourth quarter, the Rustlers went on a run and opened up a 15-point lead. The Eagles wouldn't go away without a fight, cutting the lead to six with less than three minutes remaining. The Rustlers got several key scores and stops down the stretch on way to the 62-54 win.
The Rustlers were once again led by Tonita with 20 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Pilgrim added eight points and two rebounds. Player of the Game for the Rustlers was third year guard Tori Dugan with 14 points, four assists, and two rebounds.
The Rustlers (5-5) now have a bye next weekend, before taking on the Grande Prairie Wolves (1-9) in their final games of the first semester. The Rustlers host the Wolves in the double header on November 30th and December 1st, with tipoff set for 6 pm Friday and 1 pm Saturday.