Stephen F. Austin
Indiana State
SFA Sinks Indiana State to Win UMKC Plaza Lights Classic
11/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Stephen F. Austin 71, Indiana State 62
Swinney Recreation Center • Kansas City, Missouri
Records: SFA (4-1); INS (2-5)
Up Next: UT-Arlington • Tuesday, Dec. 1 • 7:00 p.m.
Box Score 
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Stephen F. Austin women's basketball team built a big lead in the fourth quarter and held on down the stretch to defeat Indiana State 71-62 on Saturday afternoon in the UMKC Plaza Lights Classic. The Ladyjacks completed the Thanksgiving tournament with a 2-0 record to win the team title.
Juniors Taylor Ross and Brentney Branch each had big afternoons, combining for 39 points. Branch sparked the Ladyjacks with 12 first half points and Ross came up big in the closing minutes to secure the victory.
Ross ended the day with 20 points on 7-for-14 shooting and recorded five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Branch was nearly unstoppable from beyond the arc, hitting 5 of 7 three-point attempts and going 6-for-10 overall from the field to notch 19 points.
After a first half that was played within a tight 10-point window, the Ladyjacks started to find separation in the third. In the final 55 seconds, Ross scored seven unanswered points to bump SFA's lead to 12 at 54-42.
The run continued into the fourth quarter as Branch converted two free throws and sophomore forward Stevi Parker hit a mid-range jumper to make it an 11-0 spurt. A three-pointer by Branch with 6:29 to play gave SFA its largest lead of the game, 65-46, to end an 18-4 run.
After Branch's three-ball, the Sycamores mounted a frantic comeback charge, going on a 16-2 run to cut the Ladyjack lead to five, 67-62, with 52 ticks on the clock. SFA found composure in the form of senior guard Taylor Schippers, who calmly made four straight free throws to ice the game.
For the second straight game, Schippers posted in double figures with 10 points. She rattled in a deep three-pointer in the second half and went 5-for-6 from the free throw line. All of her scoring was done in the final 20 minutes.
Unlike Friday night where Ross scored all of her 28 points in the second half, number two got going right away on Saturday afternoon. She scored SFA's first four points of the game and had five at the end of the first. Freshman guard Kennedy Harris and Branch each hit threes in the opening frame but the `Jacks trailed 15-13 after 10 minutes.
The second quarter was all Branch. She drained three triples in a span of just 2:06 midway through the period to help SFA build a 13-3 run and go up 30-25. Branch tied the game at 22-22 with a deep three and later hit back-to-back treys to cap the streak. SFA held a slim 32-30 edge at the halftime intermission before opening things up in the third quarter.
Parker led the team with 10 rebounds and four assists and chipped in six points on the day. Sophomore forward Danielle Rogers matched her six-point total and Harris tacked on five points.
After big performances during the weekend, Ross was named the UMKC Plaza Lights Classic Tournament MVP. She averaged 24.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals and shot .536 (15-for-28) from the field between the two games.
Parker was also recognized for her terrific play up north by being selected to the All-Tournament Team. She ended the weekend averaging 13.0 points, 10.5 rebounds 2.5 assists, and also had two blocks and two steals.
It will be a short turnaround between games now for the Ladyjacks as they return to William R. Johnson Coliseum on Tuesday night for a game against UT-Arlington. First tip is set for 7:00 p.m.
-SFA-
Stevi Parker (left) and Taylor Ross with their All-Tournament awards.
