Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan took down the King Tornado on Tuesday evening in an 83-71 final score.
 
The Warriors shot 49.2% from the field and were 65.4% from the free throw line in their third victory of the 2021-22 season.  Five Warriors posted double-digits in scoring.  Brittany Mack led the team with 20 points with Kayla Garrett right behind her with 19.  Nakia Hooks posted 11 points while both Tristen Berry and Shelby Glance had 10.  Southern Wesleyan had 15 assists with Berry leading the team with four. 
 
Defensively, the Warriors collected 49 rebounds with both Nakia Hooks and Kayla Garrett collecting 11 rebounds each.  Their rebounds gave each of them double-doubles in the game.  Hooks had four of the seven blocks of the game.  The Warriors stole the ball four times.
 
 
 
Game Vitals
 
Final: Southern Wesleyan 83, King 71
 
Records: Southern Wesleyan (3-15 / CC 3-12) King (10-8 / CC 9-6)
 
 
 
How It Happened
 
King attacked the net early on back-to-back baskets by Desiree Bates.  However, Southern Wesleyan countered with a layup by Nakia Hooks.  The Tornado continued to push ahead, but the Warriors kept the game close with layups by Hooks and Brittany Mack.  With just over three minutes left in the first quarter, Kayla Garrett laid the ball up in the paint to put the Warriors within one point of the Tornado.
 
Southern Wesleyan maintained the pressure in the second quarter as Brittany Mack sunk a jump shot off a pass from Caroline Reese to put them down 24-21 to King.  They continued to chip away as a three pointer by Shelby Glance and layups by Tristen Berry allowed the Warriors to tie the game up at twenty-eight points apiece.  They took their first lead of the game shortly thereafter as a layup by Kayla Garrett pushed their lead to 31-28.  King countered with a layup by Alexa Gramann before a layup by Garrett pushed their lead to five points.  The Warriors continued to push forward as a three point shot by Brittany Mack put Southern Wesleyan ahead by eleven points at the end of the first half.
 
King kicked off the third quarter with free throw baskets by Brianna Dunbar, but layups by Brittany Mack and Nakia Hooks pushed the Warriors further ahead of the Tornado.  Allie Newberry stepped beyond the arc to sink her first three point shot of the contest to extend Southern Wesleyan's lead to fourteen points.  King chipped away, but Southern Wesleyan would not let them get closer than ten points as Shelby Glance extended their lead to thirteen points on a three point shot.  Caroline Reese collected a pass from Tristen Berry to sink a three of her own right at the buzzer to give the Warriors a 65-49 point lead.
 
The Warriors continued to press ahead as Nakia Hooks laid the ball up to kick off the final quarter of the game.  King countered as a three point shot by Trinity Lee allowed the Tornado to stay within fifteen points of the Warriors.  However, baskets by Kayla Garrett allowed the Warriors to extend their lead to 76-60.  Shelby Glance laid the ball up late in the game to allow the Warriors to take a 83-71 victory over the Tornado.
 
 
 
What's Next
 
Southern Wesleyan will remain at home on February 9 as they welcome the Bob Jones Bruins to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium.  The Warriors will then travel to Pembroke, NC to take on the UNC Pembroke Braves on February 11 at 5 p.m.  They will remain on the road on February 12 as they travel to Murfreesboro, NC to take on the Chowan Hawks.  Southern Wesleyan will then return to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on February 14 to host the University of Mount Olive Trojans at 3 p.m.