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HU women top turnover-plagued MVNU

Huntington University guard Pazia Speed splits a pair of Mount Vernon Nazarene defender on the way to the hoop on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Platt Arena.
Huntington University guard Pazia Speed splits a pair of Mount Vernon Nazarene defender on the way to the hoop on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Platt Arena. Photo by Steve Clark.

The Huntington University women's basketball team topped turnover-plagued Mount Vernon Nazarene University, 77-60, at Platt Arena on Saturday, Dec. 7.

The Cougars turned the ball over 22 times, opening things up for the Foresters on offense, who finished with 63 field goal attempts to 47 for the visitors, converting 28 of them for 44.4 percent.

With the score tied 11-11 at the 14:11 mark in the first half, Huntington went on a 14-4 run that put it in front for good. Pazia Speed got things started with back-to-back three-pointers, followed by Courtney Baker getting a bucket off a Miranda Palmer assist. Amelia Recker sustained the run with two points and a free throw before Baker and Palmer reversed roles and the former set up a three-pointer by the latter that capped the scoring binge and gave the Foresters a 25-15 lead with 10:30 remaining until halftime.

Mount Vernon trimmed Huntington's lead to 35-30 at intermission, but the Foresters stormed out of the gates in the second half with a 10-4 run that gave them a double-digit lead for the rest of the contest.

Speed finished with a game-high 21 points while Baker paired 16 points with a game-best seven assists and as many boards. Recker supplied 13 points and eight rebounds and Palmer netted 11 points.

Megan Beidelman scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Cougars, who made 23 of 47 shots from the field for 48.9 percent. Courtney Christie and Amy Daniels each added 12 points to the team's offensive effort.

Huntington bettered Mount Vernon at the charity stripe, sinking 16 of 18 for 88.9 percent to the visitors' 10 for 13 for 76.9 percent, and also on the boards, 31-29.

The win, the fourth straight for Coach Lori Culler's squad, improves the Foresters to 8-3 on the season and 3-0 in the Crossroads League. The Cougars drop to 1-8, 0-3 in league play.