By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Toledo, Ohio---Paige Wright (Northrop/Fort Wayne, Ind.) led the No. 9 Express women's basketball team past No. 10 Monroe College 74-58 in the championship game of the Owens Tip Off Classic tonight.

Wright, who was named the Tip Off Classic MVP, was 3-for-7 from the field (2-for-4 from 3-point range) and 3-for-4 from the foul line in the second half, while adding seven rebounds, two assists and one steal in the half. She totaled 18 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and one steal.

The Express trailed 32-30 heading into the break before taking control at the start of the second half. Eboni Adams (Maple Heights/Cleveland, Ohio) opened the half with a lay-up to tie it up. A short time later, LaKayra Carlisle (Pershing/Detroit, Mich.) hit another lay-up to give the Express a 34-33 lead.

After Monroe re-tied the game at 36, Hannah Griffin (Edgerton/Edgerton, Ohio) hit a short jumper off the glass to give the Express the lead again. Later, with the Express clinging to a 53-42 lead with 12 minutes left, Wright stole the ball and dished to Imani Vickers (Mansfield Senior/Mansfield, Ohio), who dished it back to Wright for a 3-pointer from the right wing. 

Then, with just under 10 minutes left, Wright hit another 3-pointer to give the Express a 52-42 lead and control in the game.

The Express stretched their lead to as many as 17 with under a minute remaining.

Adams led the Express in scoring with a game-high 19 points, along with eight rebounds, one assist and one steal, while Carter added 16 points, seven assists, four rebounds and one steal.

Adams was named to the All-Classic team, along with Ashley Tunstall (Wayne/Huber Heights, Ohio) who had seven points and a game-high 15 rebounds (seven offensive).

One night after breaking single game program records for free throws (45-for-60), the Express finished 33-for-47 (70.2 percent) from the foul line. Carter was 9-for-12, Wright and Adams were 8-for-10 and Tunstall was 5-for-11 from the line.

Monroe College, who defeated No. 5 St. Clair County Community College in the semifinals, were led by Brianna Perlmutter's 13 points and 15 rebounds. Perlmutter and Aaliyah Mercer, who had 15 points and eight rebounds, were named to the All-Classic team. Eli Rojas added nine points, nine rebounds, three assists and three blocks for Monroe.

The Express (4-1) have now won four straight after their season-opening two-point loss to Kirkwood College. Their next action will be Nov. 13 at Grand Rapids Community College beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Notes

Carter (18.4), Adams (13.6) and Wright (12.8) are spearheading the Express offensively through the season's first five games. Tunstall is averaging 7.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, as well.

Sheyna Deans of St. Clair County Community College was the other All-Classic team member aside from Perlmutter, Mercer, Tunstall, Adams and Wright. Deans had 28 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and five assists in the Tip Off Classic Consolation game earlier in the day.