MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Auburn Montgomery women's basketball team hosted the University of West Florida on Thursday evening, falling to the visiting Argonauts 68-45 in a Gulf South Conference contest.
NOTES
• AUM falls to 8-15 on the season and 4-12 in Gulf South Conference action.
• West Florida improves to 15-8, 10-6 in GSC play.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Senior guard
Shanna Strain led AUM in scoring with nine points, all coming from beyond the arc, while adding a pair of steals.
• Junior guard/forward
Evelina Avleeva scored eight points with three rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Yekaterinburg, Russia native has recorded multiple steals in the last three contests.
• Sophomore guard
Aaliyah Milord pulled down a team-best six rebounds.
• Freshman guard
Makaylla Bullard dished out a team-high three assists.
• For West Florida, Belle Bistroy scored a game-high 12 points while Courtney Meyer recorded 11 rebounds and Jade Davis posted eight assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• After swapping the opening two baskets, West Florida went on a 14-0 run to take a 16-2 advantage. AUM brought the deficit down to single digits with a 9-2 rally, capped by back-to-back triples from Strain and fellow senior guard
Nadia Stewart, to make it 18-11. West Florida added one more layup to their lead before the end of the frame, while a triple from Bullard created a 20-14 score.
• West Florida opened up the second quarter with back-to-back baskets, recreating a double-digit separation before a three-pointer from Strain on the Warhawks' ensuing possession made it 24-17. The Warhawks got as close as six, using a triple from Avleeva to make it 29-23, but a 6-0 retort by the Argos made it 35-23. Junior guard/forward
Jemaiya Lee scored the final basket of the half, making it 35-25 at the intermission.
• Both sides scored 11 points during the third quarter, keeping the gap at 10 going into the final frame, 46-36. The Warhawks began the stanza with a jumper from senior guard
Kyla Rooks, bringing the deficit down to eight at 35-27. Milord and Rooks scored on back-to-back possessions for the Warhawks, responding to UWF baskets to keep the deficit in single digits, but a 5-0 spurt by the Argos with the score 39-31 made it 44-31. AUM's final five points of the quarter came from the free-throw line, with Lee, Stewart and sophomore forward
Regan Croff all making at least one.
• West Florida began the final quarter with a 15-3 run, making it 61-39. AUM brought the separation under 20 with a triple from Avleeva, only for a 6-0 run by the visitors creating a game-high 25-point lead at 67-42. AUM added three more points to their total off a three-pointer from Avleeva, while a made free throw for UWF created the final score.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• The Warhawks converted on 15-56 shots, going 7-28 from three-point territory and 8-12 from the free throw line.
• UWF went 26-53 from the field, 8-18 from beyond the arc and 8-14 from the free-throw line.
• The Warhawks dished out 11 assists while West Florida had 19.
• The Argos held a 45-41 advantage in rebounds.
• Sparked by Strain, AUM got 20 points off the bench versus 19 for West Florida.
• AUM committed 12 turnovers, resulting in 14 UWF points. The Argos committed 16 turnovers, leading to seven points.
• AUM recorded seven steals with one block while West Florida stole the ball five times with one block.
UP NEXT
The women's basketball team hosts Valdosta State on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the AUM Gymnasium as it the Warhawks' pinkout game.
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