Joanna Smith scored her 1,000th career point and led the Covenant women’s basketball team to an 83-74 victory over Webster in Barnes PE Center on Saturday.
Smith’s 1,000 points, coupled with her 700 career rebound milestone, makes her just the seventh player in Covenant’s history to accomplish both. Smith now has 1,012 points and 746 rebounds in her career. She is the 22nd member of Covenant's 1,000-point club.
Today’s contest was the first all-time meeting between the two teams.
Covenant (2-6) snapped Webster’s (6-2) four-game win streak, in which the visiting Gorloks outscored opponents by 38.5 points per game. Webster is the defending SLIAC champion and played in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
Covenant never trailed and led for over 39 minutes in the contest.
In the first 10 minutes, Covenant jumped out to an early 11-2 lead after three 3-pointers from Bekah Walter, Kaley Hallmark, and Abi Chatham. At the end of the first quarter, the Scots led by seven at 24-17 after shooting 80 percent from the 3-point line (4-of-5).
Webster came back to get within four with 3:24 remaining in the half, making it 32-28. A Hallmark steal, one of eight for the senior, and an assist to Chatham for the layup made it 34-28 with 2:39 to go. The Scots led 38-32 at halftime.
A Hallmark 3-pointer, assisted by Chatham, extended the lead to double-digits for the first time at 54-43 with 2:46 left in the period. Covenant extended the lead to 14, its largest of the game, after a three-point play by Taylor Robinson that made it 59-45 with 1:45 to go.
Covenant led by 10 at the start of the final period with a 60-50 advantage.
A Robinson 3-pointer put Covenant up 75-64 with 3:08 to play. The Scots went 6-for-6 from the foul line in the final two minutes to earn the 83-74 win.
An even scoring spread for the Scots showed double-digit points from four players. Smith led the way by notching a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Robinson contributed 13 points. Hallmark added 12 points, eight steals, and five assists. Raquel Rosa scored 10 points, Walter had nine, and Margo Koby had eight points and six rebounds.
Covenant shot a season-high 45.9 percent (28-of-61) from the field. The Scots out-rebounded the Gorloks 41-33.
Webster saw double digit scoring from three players, Addison Beussink with 11, Jaysea Morgan with 11, and Naomi Johnson with 10. Beussink grabbed nine rebounds for the Gorloks. Webster was 44.4 percent (28-of-63) from the floor.
Covenant will travel to Berea, Ky., next Saturday, Dec. 15, to face USA South foe Berea. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.