Score: Evangel 90, Baptist Bible 65
Records: Evangel 1-4, Baptist Bible 1-6
Location: Ashcroft Center | Springfield, Mo.
Box Score

By Mike Bennett, special contributor to EvangelAthletics.com

Evangel was looking for some good ole home cooking – and some momentum – on Saturday after opening with four losses on the road in women's basketball.

They used a constant uptempo and team-first effort to run away with a 90-65 victory over visiting Baptist Bible College.

"That was the missing piece – winning. We played a really tough early schedule," said second-year Coach Preston Beverly. "This was a team victory." 

Alexis Roach led the scoring with 4-for-4 on 3-point shots and a total of 18 points – in just 16 minutes of play.

Beverly constantly rotated fresh players off the bench.

Twelve players scored and contributed in a variety of other ways. In fact, Evangel picked up 50 points from players that didn't start and 25 points off BBC's 25 turnovers.  

"We have a number of women who fit our system well," Beverly said. "We are unselfish, so we will continue to find the hot hand."

Paiton Acord and Jazzy Kirby exemplified the uptempo style on both ends of the court that included trapping, switching, and winning the rebounding battles. They also contributed some critical assists, points, and rebounds. 

Acord played bigger than her 5-foot-10 size in scoring 10 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and making two assists in 19 minutes – mainly with determined play around the basket. She was 4-for-4 on field-goal attempts and 2-for-2 on free throws.

Kirby, a sophomore guard from Republic, made seven assists, seven points, four steals, and three rebounds in 21 minutes. "Jazzy is lightning quick," Beverly said. "She fits the system very well."

That system includes constant pressure on defense, which helped Evangel enjoy double-digit advantages in rebounds (55-41) and assists (25-10).

The Valor shot 43.7 percent on field-goal attempts but bettered that with 44.4 percent by hitting 8-of-18 on 3-point shots. 

Kirby scored the game's first points on a reverse layup and made a swishing trey from the top of the key during a 12-2 run that gave Evangel a 40-26 lead as it started to pull away in the second quarter.

Evangel never trailed after grabbing a 7-0 lead, thanks to a field goal and trey by Roach, but BBC rallied to make it 13-11. 

It was 21-18 before a couple of late field goals from post player Sarah Lwambo made it 25-18 at the end of the first quarter.

She took down a game-high 13 rebounds and also scored 8 points for Evangel. 

BBC couldn't keep up as the Valor led 47-28 at halftime and 70-47 after three quarters. 

Acord contributed five rebounds and a block in the pivotal second quarter. She then scored all 10 of her points in the second half. "We just had to come together, play hard and do the little things right," said Acord, a senior from Springfield Parkview. "We win together and play together for God and Evangel."  

The victory was important, she said: "This means a lot for our momentum."

That's especially so, said Beverly, as Evangel opens play at noon next Saturday in the Heart of America Conference with a game at Culver-Stockton: "It's a learning process. We've been at this only two years. It takes time," he said. "This was another opportunity to improve. It helps when you are home."

It also helps that the Valor players are "positive people," he said. "We constantly talk about the things we are doing right. Anybody can step up and have a big game."

Giah Moore scored 12 points, Lexi Berry 10, and Lyla Watson 8 for Evangel.

Abby Woolsey scored 15 points, Cassidy Hambleton 14, and Harley Maxwell 13 to lead BBC, which dropped to 1-6.