Four players scored in double figures Wednesday as the Wilmington College women’s basketball team defeated Heidelberg, 66-58, in Ohio Athletic Conference action at Fred Raizk Arena in Hermann Court.
“Overall, I am really pleased. I think Heidelberg is a very good team, and they have showed it all season long,” said Wilmington head coach Jerry Scheve. “They have some real talented kids that play hard and have played well this year. I am excited to come out of here with a win tonight.”
Freshman Mackenzie Campbell finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
“This was her best game tonight,” said Scheve. “She was under control and I thought we did a good job of getting her the ball where she could score. She has rebounded all year, and defensively, she has been really, really good all year. I am happy with her game tonight.”
Sophomore Ellie Kivell tallied a season-high 14 points.
The point guard tandem of junior Brittaney Jefferson and freshman De’Jah Locke combined for 24 points with Locke registering a career-high 12 points.
“We don’t have anybody we are relying on to be a huge scorer,” said Scheve. “It’s going to be different people every night. We had two starters not score tonight and two players come off the bench to score double figures. When you have different options like that, it can makes you hard to guard. The biggest thing we have to do is take care of the basketball better than we did Saturday or today. We had 25 turnovers in two games. You can’t be the kind of team our players want to be, and the type of team I want us to be, turning the ball over like that.”
Despite the versatility offensively, it was Wilmington’s ability to slow down the Student Princes post play that we the key to victory.
Heidelberg’s starting post players came into the game averaging 26 points and 18 rebounds, and were held to just 10 points and 12 rebounds in the contest.
“Defensively, I thought we played well the entire game. I don’t think there were any letdowns the entire game. We were solid against their two starting post players. (Theresa) Jackson, who we know is a great athlete, has really done this year what she did tonight, but we knew she was capable of doing that. It took us a while to get adjusted to that, and the key was moving Mackenzie Campbell onto her late in the game.”
The Fightin’ Quakers held Heidelberg to just 17 points in the first half, on 21 percent (7-of-33) shooting as Wilmington opened up a 12-point halftime lead.
With Jefferson in foul trouble for most of the game, Locke turned in her best performance of the season. With the ‘Berg attempting to make a run, Locke keyed a 12-3 third-quarter run that left Wilmington leading by 14 heading into the final period.
Locke had a hand in all 12 points, scoring nine and assisting on a three-pointer from Kivell.
“In the second half, she really turned it on and played outstanding basketball,” said Scheve. “Her overall play in the third quarter was the key to the game. It was the key to us winning tonight more than anything.”
Heidelberg had one last run in it, cutting the WC lead down to four points with 5:51 remaining. A basket by Campbell and back-to-back layups from Kivell turned the visitors away.
Wilmington (3-4 overall, 2-2 OAC) stays home 3 p.m. Wednesday to host Baldwin Wallace in OAC action.
