FAYETTE, Iowa - The Lincoln women's basketball team rallied from a five-point halftime deficit to defeat Arkansas-Monticello, 67-64, in the 2022-23 season opener for both teams on Friday evening (Nov. 11). The game was played on the campus of Upper Iowa University as part of the 2022 Central Region Challenge.
Le'Yanna McGinnis poured in 24 points and blocked two shots while collecting seven rebounds as the Blue Tigers fought back after entering halftime trailing 32-27. Lincoln scored 40 points in the second half and forced UAM into 24 turnovers for the contest, with LU holding a 14-4 advantage on the fast break over the final 20 minutes.
The Blossoms led by as many as nine in the third quarter before Lincoln began mounting its comeback, starting with a three-pointer from Aysia Arrowood. Another trey by Arrowood later in the third period helped spring Lincoln onto a 9-3 run, capped off by Saniya Simmons hitting two shots at the line to knot the score at 44 with 1:29 remaining in the quarter. An old-fashioned three-point play broke the tie and allowed Arkansas-Monticello to take a 47-44 lead, but Lincoln would get back within 49-48 by the end of the period.
McGinnis hit a quick layup after a rebound by Miriam Bazylewicz and a dish by Simmons to give Lincoln a one-point lead, and Bazylewicz later connected on a layup to give LU a 56-51 advantage. UAM would briefly regain the lead on a three-pointer with 4:39 to play, but McGinnis made a basket to swing the lead and the momentum back the Blue Tigers' way. Lincoln would not trail the remainder of the game, going up by as many as five on a pair of free throws from
Niyah Jackson with 37 seconds left in the contest.
Jackson, Simmons, Arrowood, Bazylewicz and
Kelsey Mitchell each scored eight points apiece, with Jackson and Simmons each dishing three assists. Bazylewicz provided six rebounds, two assists and a steal, and Simmons added two boards and a steal while Arrowood tallied two takeaways.
Ayreona Carter finished with two points and three rebounds, and
AJ Bradley made a free throw to close the scoring.
Mercy Gonzalez, meanwhile, contributed two rebounds, a pair of steals, a block and two assists to the winning cause.
Lincoln will remain in Iowa to take on Southern Arkansas on Saturday (Nov. 12) at 5:30 p.m. CST.
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