Warden Powers SE to Win over SAU

DURANT, Okla. – Kenzli Warden turned in a double-double and three other players reached double-digit points as Southeastern snapped its losing skid with a 68-54 win over Southern Arkansas on Thursday night in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
The win lifts the Savage Storm to 4-9 on the season and 1-6 in Great American Conference play heading into a weekend matchup with Arkansas-Monticello.
 
Warden finished the contest 8-of-18 form the field with a pair of threes to finish with 19 points, while hauling in 11 total rebounds, including five offensive boards.
 
Stevie Stinchcomb had her biggest game since returning to action, putting up 15 points thanks to a 7-of-8 free throw shooting effort.
 
Tori Kilburn and Mackenzie Espinosa each turned in 13 points on the night, hitting three threes apiece.
 
Kilburn nearly finished with a double-double herself as she handed out nine assists, while as a team the Storm forced 18 turnovers, including snagging seven steals.
 
Warden's 11 boards led all rebounders, while Kilburn and Stinchcomb each grabbed six.
 
The Storm held a 19-9 edge in points off turnovers and hit 10 threes on the contest.
 
Warden hit a three to open scoring in the game, but SE trailed twice early before an Espinosa bucket and a Kilburn three gave SE an 11-7 lead at the 5:16 mark.
 
SAU scored the next six points to take a lead, but a 7-2 run over the final to mites gave the Storm an 18-15 lead at the end of one quarter.
 
The teams traded buckets early in the second quarter until the Storm pushed its lead to two possessions following a pair of Stinchcomb free throws, going in front 26-20.
 
The lead would peak at seven points with 1:50 to play before settling on a 33-27 SE lead at the half.
 
The Storm lead grew to eight points early in the third quarter before the Muleriders reeled off a 10-2 run to tie the contest at 37-37 by the 6:24 mark of the period.
 
The game would tie up twice before the Storm regained the lead on back-to-back Warden buckets, going ahead 43-39.
 
That lead would shrink to one point before five-straight Storm points pushed it to six points, ultimately taking a 51-46 lead into the final frame.
 
Southeastern opened the fourth on an 8-2 run to push its lead to double-digits at 11 points.
The advantage grew to 16 points twice down the stretch before settling on a 68-54 final score.