BATESVILLE, Ark. – It's official.
The Lyon College Scots women's basketball team is the undisputed, outright American Midwest Champion for the third time in a row.
The Scots were regular season champions in 2019-20, 2020-21 and in 2021-22. Lyon College won the AMC tournament in 2020-21 and in the 2015-15 season. The Scots other conference regular-season championship came in the 2015-16 season and they were co-champions of the regular season in 2012-13.
Overall in the tenure of head coach
Tracy Stewart-Lange, Lyon College women's basketball program has won five regular season championships,, two AMC tournament titles and have been to the NAIA National Tournament 11 straight years. The first appearance by the Scots in the NAIA came in the 2011-12 season.
This year, the Scots earned the top seed in the AMC conference tournament by turning back the University of Health, Sciences and Pharmacy 62-46 on Saturday afternoon at Becknell Gymnasium. Lyon College finished the regular season with a 25-4 overall record and were 17-1 in conference play. And the Scots currently own a 20-game winning streak.
Jade Giron led the Scots 20 points and nine rebounds.
Kristen Baham had nine points on three three-pointers,
Marleigh Dodson scored eight points and
Haley Wesley scored eight that includes making two three-pointers.
The Scots led 19-4 after the first quarter. Mari-Hannah Newsom made a three-pointer at the buzzer for Lyon College to end the period. Giron, Baham,
Paige Kelley and Dodson all scored in the first quarter. Giron and Wesley made three-pointers in the second quarter to lead the Scots to a 32-19 halftime lead.
Giron's jumper with 3:55 to go in the third quarter, put Lyon ahead by 22 points, 46-24, then Kelley hit a shot inside to make it 48-26. Another three-pointer from Newsom put the Scots up 51-32 by the end of the third quarter.
The Scots lead reached as much as 28 points in the fourth quarter, 62-34, on a layup from Wesley.
Lyon College will host the winner of Harris-Stowe State and Stephens College on Wednesday afternoon at 7 p.m.
