Second Half Dooms All-Stars
The All-Stars had their largest lead, leading 19-16 with nine minutes left in the first half when Brandi Criscitiello made a lay-up and Melissa Ballard made three straight free throws to give the All-Stars their largest lead of the game. Converse lead for the next three minutes, until Tusculum hit a few key free throws and a three-pointer to give them a three point lead. The All-Stars came within one with two minutes remaining, but Tusculum started to run away with it with three three-pointers and went into the half leading 36-27.
The All-Stars have had trouble all year coming to play in the second half. The All-Stars pulled within eight with eight minutes left in the game, but the Pioneers went on and scored 10 unanswered points.
The All-Stars shot well again from behind the free-throw line shooting 87%. However the All-Stars were only 3-of 20 from the three-point like shooting only 15% while the Pioneers were 6-of 14 shooting 42.9%. Converse only shot 30.8% from the field in the first half and 31% in the second half.
Ballard held game-high honors with 15 points. Melissa Bunce and freshman guard Olivia Freda added 13 each. Bunce posted her fifth double-double with a game-best 13 rebounds.
Tusculum’s Julie Maples led both teams scoring a game-high 17 points.
The All-Stars will return home on Wednesday, January 7th to play Southern Polytechnic St. University at 7:00PM in Weisiger Center.