LONGVIEW, Wash. — The Lower Columbia College women's basketball team proved once again that it's not about how you start, but how you finish.
Overcoming a sluggish first half and a resilient rebounding effort by South Puget Sound, the Red Devils exploded after the break to secure a commanding 71-55 victory over the Clippers on Saturday night at Myklebust Gymnasium. With the win, Lower Columbia improves to an impressive 16-3 overall and remains perfect in NWAC West Region play at 4-0.
The Devils found themselves in a rare deficit at halftime, trailing 26-23 after shooting just 27.8% in the first quarter and struggling to find a rhythm against the Clippers' defense. However, the third quarter belonged entirely to the home team.
LCC came out of the locker room with renewed defensive intensity, holding South Puget Sound to just 11 points in the third period while pouring in 22 of their own to snatch the lead for good. The Devils continued their dominance in the fourth, outscoring the Clippers 26-18 to turn a tight contest into a double-digit rout.
Four different Red Devils scored in double figures, providing the balanced attack needed to break open the game in the second half.
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Angelica Askey was the catalyst for the Red Devils, delivering a game-high 25 points in 38 minutes of action. Askey was a menace on both ends of the floor, filling the stat sheet with 6 rebounds and 5 steals. She was efficient from the free-throw line, going a perfect 4-for-4.
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Shailoh Li'ili'i anchored the paint, tallying 14 points and pulling down a team-high 8 rebounds. Her defensive presence was stifling, as she recorded 4 blocks and 3 steals, effectively shutting down the Clippers' interior attack.
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Regan Brewer provided a steady hand at the guard position, finishing with 11 points and 5 rebounds. Brewer did much of her damage from the charity stripe, converting 7-of-9 free throws while adding 2 assists.
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Breanna Albright was a spark off the bench, contributing 14 points on 6 for 13 shooting and was 2-2 from the free throw line. She also battled on the glass, grabbing 7 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists to help fuel the second-half run.
While South Puget Sound dominated the glass, outrebounding LCC 49-38, the Red Devils' defense was the equalizer. LCC held the Clippers to a frigid 29.5% shooting from the field and forced 23 turnovers, converting those mistakes into 15 points.
The difference in free-throw shooting was also stark. The Red Devils were aggressive in attacking the basket, finishing 19-of-23 (82.6%) from the line. In contrast, the Clippers made just 6-of-8 free throws for the entire game.
The Devils will be on the road this week at Tacoma, Wednesday, January 21 with a 7:30 pm tip and then at Highline on Saturday, January 24 with a 2:00 pm tip.
