Tornados take off in Lady Knights home opener

LAURINBURG, N.C.—Junior Rebecca Bryant (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored 15 points for the Lady Knights but Tornados’ sophomore Micheala Watkins (Forest City, N.C.) had game-high totals of 10 steals and six assists to lead Brevard College to a 78-49 non-conference conquest of host St. Andrews Presbyterian College Saturday afternoon.

The Tornados (1-3) pick up their first win of the season by using full court pressure and scoring 41 points off 37 turnovers by the Lady Knights (0-2). Watkins swiped an impressive 10 steals from SAPC players as Brevard racked up a total of 26 steals on the day.

Junior Lindsay Brendle (High Point, N.C.) led the visitors offensively with a game-high 18 points. Classmate Anna Schlobohm (Greensboro, N.C.) deposited another 14 points for the Tornados while sophomore Tempestt Mack (Albemarle, N.C.) netted 10.

The inexperienced SAPC squad showed some offensive promise when they got in its offensive sets but the Knights took 25 less shots than Brevard because of all of the turnovers in transition.

Bryant drilled a game-high three 3-pointers en route to her 15 points. Freshman Natalie Whitman (North Tonawanda, N.Y.) once again flirted with a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds.

St. Andrews held a 43-36 edge on the glass as sophomore Kimayah Fulcher (New Bern, N.C.) tied Whitman for game-high rebounding honors by hauling in nine missed shots. Fulcher added eight points and a team-high three steals to her stat totals. Freshman Ariel Reaves (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) chipped in with nine points.

Brevard senior Amanda Whitaker (Asheville, N.C.) set the tempo for the game with a steal and fast break layup in the first 15 seconds. St. Andrews only held a one-point lead twice, both times coming on made baskets by Bryant. The Knights last led 9-8 with 12:49 showing in the first half before the Tornados stormed ahead for good with a 16-3 run over the next four minutes. Brevard held a 40-27 cushion at halftime before the Tornados made 16 of their 26 steals in the second half to pull away for the 29-point victory.

Junior Holli Flippo (Kingston Springs, Tenn.) provided the visitors with eight points, four steals, and three assists. Senior Brianna Worley (Asheville, N.C.) also scored eight points.

Brevard shot 43.8-percent from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. The Lady Knights fired at 35.4% accuracy from the floor and a chilly 9-for-19 (47.4%) from the charity stripe.

St. Andrews will play one more game before Thanksgiving when the Knights host Voorhees College on Tuesday evening at 5:30 p.m.