BOX SCORE

POSTGAME INTERVIEW WITH RUSTY RAINBOLT AND PAIGE PARRISH

Seguin, Texas – Paige Parrish recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 boards in leading the Concordia University Texas women's basketball team to a 76-61 road win over Texas Lutheran on Thursday, Feb. 16 at Memorial Gymnasium. The Tornados ended the evening alone in first place, as McMurry upset Howard Payne by a 60-42 score in Abilene.

Concordia started the game on an offensive explosion and led 16-8 before five minutes had gone by. Parrish netted five points, which included finishing a conventional 3-point play, to lead all scorers during the stretch.

Texas Lutheran came brought the deficit down to six at 20-14 on a Katy Scott layup, but the Tornados answered with a 10-2 run and went ahead by a commanding 30-16 score when Madi Hess finished a pass from Valencia McKinney at the 6:39 mark. The Tornado lead, however, was only four at recess, as the Bulldogs scored 17 of the half's final 24 points.

Texas Lutheran (6-18, ASC 5-15) took its first lead of the ballgame at 39-37 by getting consecutive 3-point field goals from Jenna Silva and Kimberly Hagen to start the second half. A basket by Scott made it 41-39 and forced CTX head coach Rusty Rainbolt to burn a quick timeout.

A seesaw battle ensued, as the teams exchanged leads five more times before the midway point of the second half. Madi Hess put the Tornados ahead by a 46-44 score canning a long trey before TLU regained the lead at 47-46 when Scott converted a conventional 3-point play courtesy of Scott. A layup from Parrish, however, gave the Tornados a little bit of wiggle room with a 56-52 advantage with 9:46 to play.

Concordia used its depth once again to wear down the hosts and pull away. A Parrish layup extended the Tornado lead back to twin figures at 65-55 before Shamika Singleton made a move around a Bulldog defender on the right block to make it a 12-point game. Domonique Liddell then hit a turnaround jumper on the next possession to put the Tornados ahead, 69-55, at the final media timeout. Margaret Milling later weaved through the TLU defense and finished with a right-handed layup to give the visitors a 76-59 lead and all the insurance they needed.

In addition to recording a double-double of the points-rebounds variety, Parrish registered a team-high six assists for Concordia. Singleton finished with 14 points and four boards, while five other players – Jessie Pittman, Brianna Smith, McLee, Milling and Hess – contributed six points apiece.

Scott led three Texas Lutheran players in double figures with 14 points. She also grabbed seven boards. Hagan and Ashley Robinson finished with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Concordia (19-4, ASC 17-3) will be guaranteed the top seed out of the West Division for the American Southwest Conference Tournament if it can win its final regular-season game on the road against Schreiner on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 1 p.m.