Batesville, Ark. – In her 17 years of coaching the Lyon College Scots women's basketball team, Tracy Stewart-Lange has a developed winning strategy that keeps opposing coaches guessing. Even so, she expects hard work and knows how to place players on the court with the understanding of space. She can look at her team on the floor and immediately articulates what she wants them to do. And they listen.
Defense has been Lange's prowess. No team in the American Midwest Conference has a more potent defense that is first in points allowed by opponents. Lange and assistant Julie Church have orchestrated this season's Scots to a 23-4 record, an 18-game winning streak and a 15-1 AMC conference mark that is leading the league.
On Saturday night, the Scots held off William Woods for a 66-56 home victory. Paige Kelley led Lyon College with 19 points, while Jade Giron added 16 points, six assists and four steals.
The Scots led 19-13 after the first quarter, but the Owls came back to tie the game at 30-30 by halftime. Lyon outscored William Woods 21-8 in the third period and held on for a 10-point win. The Scots were 23-of-53 from the field for 43 percent, they made 7-of-17 three-pointers for 41 percent and hit 13-of-17 free throws for 76.5 percent. The Owls were 21-of-49 for 42.9 percent, they made 7-of-17 three-pointers and were 7-of-7 from the free throw line.
Katie Turner got Lyon on the scoreboard first, but William Woods ran off seven straight points. Kelley's jumper with 5:15 to go in the first quarter tied the game at 7-7. Haley Wesley made a jumper, Allison Byars made a three-pointer and Kelley completed a three-point play for a 19-13 lead.
Giron's layup with 6:18 to go before halftime put the Scots up by eight points, 25-17, but the Owls came back to tie the game at 26-26 and 28-28. Marleigh Dodson scored on a drive to the basket to tie the game at 30-30.
Kristen Baham made a three-pointer, Kelley scored twice inside and Giron put in a layup for a 39-32 Lyon College lead in the third quarter. Kelley highlighted the scoring the quarter with a three-pointer and Giron knocked down a three-pointer at the buzzer to put the Scots up 51-38.
Byars made two free throws with 4:52 to go in the game to put Lyon up by 21 points, 66-45.