By Geoff Roberts/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, Ohio---The No. 6 Express women's basketball team picked up an 83-38 win over Lakeland Community College at home in the SHAC on Wednesday behind 24 points from Kamilah Carter (Pioneer/Ann Arbor, Mich.).
The matchup started out fairly even with Lakeland's Melanie Primer getting the game's first two points. That would turn out to be their only lead of the tilt, though. The Express took the lead at the 18:22 mark of the first, then Lakeland would tie it up at four apiece.
The Express answered right back and took a 6-4 lead at the 17:17 mark off an Eboni Adams (Maple Heights/Cleveland, Ohio) lay-up and never trailed again.
An 11-3 Express run would immediately follow the Adams lay-up. The scoring run did a lot to build the momentum that the Express would carry throughout the rest of the game as they went into the half with a commanding 44-21 lead.
Coming out of halftime, the Express picked up where they left off with an Adams 3-pointer. That kicked off a 15-4 run to open the half and also opened the lead up even further for the Express. They increased their lead the rest of the game to pick up their second easy win over Lakeland this year.
Carter's game-high 24 points came on 10-for-15 shooting.
The Express had four players finish in double-digit scoring on Wednesday. On top of the 24 from Carter, Zhana Randolph (Rochester Hills/Rochester Hills, Mich.) contributed 11, while Adams and Ashley Tunstall (Huber Heights Wayne/Dayton, Ohio) each had 10. Tunstall also had a strong game down low with nine rebounds, just missing out on a double-double.
Alyssa Lassey (Ida/Ida, Mich.) led all bench players in scoring by chipping in nine points.
The Express shot 34-for-68 (50 percent) from the field as a team. Additionally, they shot 9-for-20 (45 percent) from beyond the 3-point line. The Express also outrebounded the Lakers to a tune of 46 to 29.
Nicole Upshaw had 14 points, while Primer finished with 13 in the tough loss for the Lakers.
The win puts the Express at 20-2 overall and 6-1 in Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) play. Lakeland falls to 3-20 overall and remains winless in the OCCAC at 0-8.
The win gave the Express their fifth-straight season with 20 or more wins. Next up for the Express is a road matchup at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Surge are just one game behind the Express for first place in the OCCAC.
Notes
Carter now sits in 22nd in single-season all-time scoring leaders for the Express with 431 points. She passed Mackenzie Heacock (409, 2012-13), Emma-Jean Ricketts (413, 2011-12), and Shelli Liverpool (423, 2007-08) with her 24 point effort tonight.
Earlier in the day, the Express got good news nationally as they rose four spots in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) D-II poll to No. 6.
Express women's basketball head coach Mike Llanas picked up his 225th career win tonight.