Box Score
Hattiesburg, MS-The Belhaven women's basketball team saw their season come to a close Wednesday night losing in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinals at William Carey University 63-57. The Lady Crusaders improve to 16-12 and move on to the semifinals of the GCAC tournament at Loyola University Friday night.

 

Belhaven kept the game close in the first half despite only shooting 37 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes of the game. The Lady Blazers dominated the glass outrebounding William Carey University 20-14 which included 10 offensive rebounds providing some second chance opportunities.

 

Jira Williams led the offense in the first half with 11 points followed by Jaelyn Stringer with 6 points. Stringer also grabbed four rebounds in the first period. Belhaven had a tough time stopping Shonte Kennedy who fired in 11 first half points for the Lady Crusaders to help build a 32-27 lead heading into the locker room.

 

Belhaven's offense picked up the pace in the second half and the defense held William Carey to 40 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes of action, but it wasn't quite enough to push the Lady Blazers over the top.

 

Jaelyn Stringer left it all on the floor Wednesday night in her final game as a Lady Blazer. Stringer scored 14 points and picked off 10 rebounds for her second consecutive double double and third for the season. Jira Williams and Jimesha Rule, who go the start for the injured Mallory Hammack, chipped in with 12 points apiece. Holly Dial wrapped up her Belhaven career scoring 11 points as the Lady Blazers had four players put up double figures in scoring.

 

As a team, the Lady Blazers had trouble knocking down three point shots going 2 for 16 from behind the arc and finished the game with a 39.3 percent field goal percentage. Belhaven won the battle of the boards 40-30 against William Carey, but turned it over 13 times compared to the Lady Crusaders who coughed it up only 9 times.

 

Kim Lewis checked in with 20 points to lead the William Carey offense. Shonte Kennedy finished the game with 15 points followed by Kate Hubbard who had 12 points to round out the Lady Crusader double digit scorers. William Carey made 45.3 percent field goals on the night and made 65 percent of their free throws. In the second half, they converted on 11 of 16 attempts at the stripe.