Big first half carries SAU to eighth straight win
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
St. Ambrose (1-0) | 20 | 20 | 10 | 17 | 67 |
|
Texas Lutheran (5-5, 2-0 SCAC) | 11 | 7 | 15 | 17 | 50 |
After exploding for 27 fourth-quarter points in a win Monday, the Bees continued their offensive surge 24 hours later.
St. Ambrose shot better than 65 percent from the floor in the first half on the way to a 67-50 win at Texas Lutheran Tuesday afternoon. The victory was SAU's eighth in a row and moved the team to 14-1 on the season.
The Bees dominated the first two quarters. Behind two 3-pointers from Shayne Smith and six points from Jaynee Prestegaard, St. Ambrose opened up a 20-11 lead after one quarter. After shooting 6-of-9 from the field over the first 10 minutes, SAU backed it up by knocking down 9-of-14 attempts in the second.
That shooting, along with the Bees' typical defensive effort that forced the Bulldogs into less than 29-percent shooting in the opening half, helped SAU open a 40-18 halftime advantage. St. Ambrose outscored Texas Lutheran 20-7 in the second quarter.
The Bee shooting, predictably, cooled in the second half but the Bulldogs never mounted a serious threat.
SAU shot an even 50 percent from the floor for the game, connecting on 23-of-46 from the field.
Prestegaard led the way, going 8-of-11 in finishing with a game-high 17 points. Smith, who was 4-of-6 overall and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, dropped in 15 points. Kylie Wroblewski also reached double figures, netting 12.
The Bees got contributions throughout the lineup. Maddy Cash was a perfect 2-of-2 from the floor and 2-of-2 from the line to score six points. She also collected three steals. Anna Plumer hit a pair of threes in also scoring six.
Abby Lundquist and Avari Everts each scored four points. Olivia Cantu had two points to go along with a team-leading six rebounds in just 11 minutes off the bench.
Madeline Prestegaard had just one point but grabbed four rebounds and blocked a shot. Allie Govert and Halle Ciesielczyk played significant minutes in the second half.
The Bees will return home from their two-game Texas trip to host their Christmas Class Dec. 28-30. The three team event will also feature Midland and No. 7 Marian.