JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - A huge run during the final 14 minutes of the first half helped the Lincoln women's basketball team beat Rogers State, 73-56, on Thursday evening (Jan. 12).

Four Blue Tigers scored in double figures, including Niyah Jackson, who had 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal. Kelsey Mitchell also had 11 points and tallied a pair of steals while Miriam Bazylewicz and AJ Bradley added 10 points apiece. Bazylewicz additionally provided five boards, two steals, an assist and a block while Bradley contributed four rebounds and two takeaways.

Lincoln (4-11, 2-7 MIAA) trailed 17-8 when the game's first media timeout was called at the 4:19 mark of the opening quarter. Out of the timeout, Aliyah Bello drained a three, and Lincoln later scored seven-straight points to head into the second quarter with the score tied at 18. The momentum continued to swing the Blue Tigers' way in the second, as a 13-0 run during the period gave LU control of the contest.

Rogers State (4-12, 2-8 MIAA) scored the first points of the second quarter to break the tie, but that was the final time the Hillcats would lead on Thursday evening. The Blue Tigers went on a 23-3 run to rally from nine points down to take a 31-20 lead halfway through the second period. By the time the game reached halftime, Lincoln had outscored Rogers State, 29-11, to go up 37-28 at the break.

Bello blocked a shot and finished with eight points while Le'Yanna McGinnis scored eight to go with a team-high eight rebounds. As a team, Lincoln shot .441 for the ballgame, including .500 in the second quarter and .533 in the fourth. Rogers State, which shot .357 overall and .278 from three-point range, never came closer than within five during the last 15 minutes of the game, and Lincoln led by as many as 20 late in the contest. LU outrebounded RSU, 41-33, and forced the Hillcats into 17 turnovers, which resulted in 21 points for the Blue Tigers.

Ayreona Carter totaled four points and three rebounds in eight minutes of work, and Saniya Simmons chipped in three points to close the scoring. Simmons also notched two rebounds, two assists and two steals on the evening.

The win was the first ever for Lincoln against Rogers State, as RSU, which joined the MIAA in 2019-20, had won each of the previous three meetings. The victory was also the second in the last three games for the Blue Tigers, who beat Emporia State for the first time since 1993-94 last Thursday (Jan. 5).

Lincoln will play for its second win in a row on Saturday (Jan. 14) when the Blue Tigers host Northeastern State at 1:00 p.m. CST.