Powered by Zyhia Johnson's 27 points, the Panthers took down Maryville 67-61 on the road Friday night. The victory marks just the third time LC has beaten the Scots on their home court.
"I'm so proud of our team pulling out a tough win on the road," said Head Coach Jasen Jonus. "We started out slow but gained some momentum through our substitutions and responded well.
"Zyhia Johnson had a huge game for us offensively, and it helped the second half that our defense was sparked by Ema Turner."
The Panthers got off to a slow start but battled back to 15-15 tie on a Laila Battle jump shot near the start of the second period.
The team pulled away by 14 points during the middle of the quarter, only to see Maryville chip away at the lead. The score stood at 32-27 at the half.
The Scots regained the lead halfway through the third, but the Panthers stayed in it, pushing to a 56-56 tie with eight minutes left in the game. From there, LC pulled away. A three-point jumper by Gracie Brunel with 28 seconds left and a follow-up free throw helped seal the victory for the Panthers.
Johnson's 27 points led the way, followed by 15 for Brunel. Amanda Mclendon pulled down 7 rebounds, and Laila Battle had 6 assists.
Everyone on the bench saw playing time, and they contributed 17 points to the win.
The team, now at 8-3, stays on the road tomorrow.
"Getting a win on the road is huge for our momentum going into a tough matchup tomorrow at Berea," said Coach Jonus.
