Women's Basketball Wins Season Opener Against Welch

ATHENS, Tenn.- The women's basketball team played their first game of the season on Monday. The team hosted the Welch College Lady Flames in their season opener in James L. Robb Gymnasium.

After a Cambree Mayo three gave the Lady Bulldogs a 3-0 advantage, Welch scored eight straight points to pull ahead 8-3. Jacelyn Stone made a jump shot as the team continued to shake out of the first game jitters. By the end of the first quarter, TWU held a 19-15 lead, using three-point baskets from Alexis Bates and Jaci Powell to help them lead by four heading into the second quarter.

Mikalee Martin and Anna Crowder added points in the opening minutes of the second quarter to make the score 24-15. Bates gave the team their first double-digit lead with her three-point jumper moving the score to 27-17. Welch was able to pull back within three points after scoring seven straight points but Crowder countered with five points of her own and Bates made the score 35-24 with another three-point jumper. TWU took a 35-26 lead into halftime.

The Lady Bulldogs kept control of the game in the third quarter. Back-to-back three-point jumpers by Mayo and Stone pushed the score to 46-30. Sierra Bates and Ella Crowder pushed the team to 50 points, and points by Abbey Barr and Ashley Baxter helped take a 20-point lead with the score reading 56-36. The third quarter ended with the team leading 56-44. 

A. Crowder and Powell opened the scoring in the fourth quarter with the latter making the score 61-44. Tennessee Wesleyan scored 13 more points in the quarter, moving the final score read 74-56.

Bates led the offense with 16 points while A. Crowder and Stone each added 13 points. Mayo had a team-high seven rebounds.

The Lady Bulldogs (1-0) will be back in action on Wednesday when they play their first conference game against Montreat College. The game in James L. Robb Gymnasium is set to begin at 5:30 p.m.