Four Double-Digit Scorers Lead SE to Rivalry Win

DURANT, Okla. – Kenzli Warden led a foursome of double-digit scorers as Southeastern extended its winning streak to six with a 71-61 win over rival East Central on Thursday night in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
The win evens the Savage Storm record at 11-11 overall on the year and 8-8 in Great American Conference play heading into a Saturday afternoon showdown with Oklahoma Baptist at 1 p.m. back in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
Warden finished the contest with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting, bringing her career points total to 996 as she looks to become the 17^th players in SE women's basketball history to score 1,000 career points.
 
Tori Kilburn was next in line with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while Mackenzie Espinosa added 13 and Katie Allen turned in 10, her second double-digit scoring outing in three starts.
 
Stevie Stinchcomb finished the contest with seven, followed by Halli Hyatt with five and Akiera Hawk with four.
 
Warden paced the Storm on the boards with eight rebounds, a game high, while Espinosa grabbed six, with Kilburn and Allen pulling in five apiece.
 
Stinchcomb finished the game with a game-high four assists while Hawk handed out three.
 
The teams traded shots out of the gate, fighting to ties at 7-7 and 9-9 by the 3:37 mark of the first quarter.
 
The Tigers connected on a three to break that second tie and maintained the lead through the end of the first quarter, taking a 17-15 lead at the break.
 
The intensity picked up in the second quarter with the Storm falling behind by six points early in the frame.
 
The deficit reached six points again at 27-21 with 4:56 to go in the half, but a Kilburn three triggered a 7-0 run which she capped with a layup to take a 28-27 lead with 3:05 to play in the half.
 
ECU answered and briefly regained the lead, but a Kilburn jumper came as the Storm response and finished the half on a 7-2 run to take a 35-31 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
SE scored first in the second half, but saw that lead disappear as the Tigers answered with a 9-0 run to take a 40-37 lead at the 8:02 mark of the third quarter.
 
An Allen three-point-play would knot the game at 40-40, and neither team would lead by more than a possession en route to a 48-48 tie at the end of three quarters.
 
The teams traded free throws to open the fourth, but an Allen three would kickstart a 12-3 run that was capped by a Warden bucket that gave the Storm a 62-53 lead with 5:00 to play.
 
ECU trimmed that lead to five points with 3:08 to play, but a pair of Warden free throws followed by her final two points of the night on a layup pushed the edge back to 66-57 with 2:07 to play.
 
Southeastern closed the contest hitting 5-of-6 free throws in the final 51 seconds to hold on for a 71-61 victory.