Warden, Kilburn Power Storm to Win over ATU

DURANT, Okla. – Kenzli Warden and Tori Kilburn combined for 54 points as Southeastern pulled away in the second half en route to a 74-56 win over Arkansas Tech on Thursday night in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
The win lifts the Savage Storm to 13-12 overall on the year heading into a matchup with nationally-ranked Harding set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 back in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
Warden finished as the game's top scorer, turning in 28 points on 9-of-18 shooting with a 9-of-11 effort at the free throw line.
 
She was joined by Kilburn who was right behind her with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting, hitting 7-of-10 at the charity stripe.
 
Mackenzie Espinosa drained a pair of threes and finished with eight points, while Katie Allen and Chloe Eversole each chipped in five.
 
Kilburn wrapped up a double-double in a huge way as she hauled in a game-best 16 rebounds, while Warden finished with seven as they powered SE to a 46-to-41 edge on the boards.
 
Stevie Stinchcomb finished the night with a game-high seven assists.
 
Defensively, Stinchcomb and Akiera Hawk logged a pair of steaks, while Hawk, Warden, and Kilburn blocked a pair of shots apiece.
 
SE jumped out to an 8-0 lead on the strength of back-to-back threes from Kilburn and Warden within the first two minutes of the contest.
 
The Storm pressed its lead to double-digits by the 3:36 mark of the quarter on a Warden bucket to take a 17-6 lead.
 
ATU responded with seven of the final nine points of the quarter and Southeastern took a 17-13 lead into the first quarter break.
 
The suns continued to chip at the SE lead, taking a 23-21 lead of its own by the 7:40 mark of the second quarter.
 
After briefly tying the game, ATU pushed its lead to four points on back-to-back buckets, the last coming at the 5:24 mark.
 
Kilburn answered with a bucket and scored eight points of the ensuing 14-2 run the Storm went on to close the first half, taking a 37-29 lead at halftime.
 
The Storm lead fluctuated between six and nine points early in the third before free throws from Hawk and Eversole pushed the advantage to 47-35 with 4/;36 to play in the third.
 
ATU timed the SE lead back to single digits and the Storm carried a 55-46 lead into the final quarter break.
 
An Allen three and a pair of Kilburn free throws opened the fourth quarter and SE pushed its lead to 14 points early in the frame.
 
The lead would not sink below 10 for the remainder of the contest as Southeastern turned up the pressure and pulled away over the final six minutes matching its largest lead on the game's final points in a 74-56 win.