Kobiske Drops 26 to Lead SE to Win over UAM

DURANT, Okla. – Caitlin Kobiske poured in a game-high 26 points to power Southeastern to a 75-55 win over Arkansas-Monticello on Thursday night in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
The win gets the Savage Storm back in the win column, lifting their record to 14-7 overall and 11-4 in Great American Conference play heading into a Saturday afternoon matchup with Southern Arkansas at 1 p.m. back in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
Kobiske turned in her 26 points in 26 minutes played, hitting 7-of-14 from the floor with a pair of threes and adding a 10-of-12 performance from the free throw line.
 
Kenzli Warden was the game's next highest scorer with 17 on a 7-of-11 shooting effort.
 
Ashton Hackler connected on both threes she attempted on her way to 10 points in her first start of the season.
 
Bri Wietelman finished with seven, while Abbie Barr chipped in five.
 
The Storm shot 46.4 percent overall for the contest, bolstered by a 75.0 percent effort in the third quarter, hitting 9-of-12, while connecting on 9-of-its-20 three-point attempts for the night.
 
Southeastern held an edge on the glass as well, outrebounding UAM 35-to-29, with Warden pulling down nine boards, followed by six from Stevie Stinchcomb.
 
Holli Lindley led the way I assists, dishing out a game-high four, while Warden and Barr turned in three each.
 
Back-to-back threes from Hackler and Stinchcomb put the Storm out in front 6-0 out of the gate on its way to a 13-2 run over the game's first three minutes.
 
The Southeastern lead would reach 14 points on a Kobiske three with 4:41 to play in the period, and peak at the end of the first quarter on a Wietelman three to stake the Storm to a 25-10 lead at the first quarter break.
 
A Barr layup to open the second quarter pushed the edge to 17 points, but a 12-2 Cotton Blossom run whittled the SE advantage to 29-22 with 6:11 to play in the half.
 
The Storm responded and outscored UAM 8-2 over the final 4:18 of the half to take a 37-24 lead into the halftime break.
 
Kobiske drained another three to open the third quarter, but UAM chipped away at the SE lead, cutting it to single digits with a three at 44-35 with 5:57 to play in the third.
 
A Warden three quickly answered through and kicked off a 14-5 Southeastern run to end the frame and take a 58-40 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
The lead quickly hit 20 to open the fourth quarter, but UAM would respond, trimming the Storm advantage to 60-47 with 6:48 to play, but that was as close as it would get as Southeastern reeled off an 11-1 run, taking its largest lead of the game at 71-48 on a Barr three with 3:09 to play on its way to a 75-65 victory.