SMC team return from holiday break, tops Prairie State College 73-55

Published 7:22 am Thursday, January 4, 2024

By Scott Novak

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DOWAGIAC — It took a while, but the Southwestern Michigan College women’s basketball team shook off the effects of a 10-day layoff for the holidays to remain undefeated at home Wednesday afternoon.

After scoring just 15 points in the opening 10 minutes, the Roadrunners started to find their legs and outscored Prairie State College 21-8 in the second quarter to open up a 35-20 halftime advantage en route to a 73-55 non-conference victory.

The victory improved Southwestern Michigan to 12-1 overall and 9-0 at the 1st Source Bank Fieldhouse.

“We did some stuff together like running, but there is nothing like playing against an actual team,” said SMC Coach Jay Jenkins. “We got the Christmas dinner off our minds and I think we are ready to get started now and keep the momentum going.”

Jenkins told his team that a win may not always be pretty, but it is a win.

The Roadrunners took control of the game in the third quarter, which has been very good to Southwestern Michigan so far, this season.

“In every game that we have played, I don’t know what is in their minds, but it is like ‘hey, we have been slacking off, and it is time to turn it on.’ If you go back and look at any third quarter in the games we have played that has been the case. That is the thing I have been preaching to this team when they talk about the national tournament. We have to be consistent for 40 minutes no matter who you are playing against. You have to do all the small things we know we are supposed to do instead of flashes of it here and flashes of it there.”

Cameron Thomas (Hazel Park, Illinois) again led SMC as she scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Tori Eldridge (Goshen, Indiana) added 15 points to go along with eight rebounds and four assists.

Amara Palmer (Niles) already reached double figures with 12 points. She added four rebounds and three assists to her stat line, while Nalani Williams (St. Louis, Missouri) finished with six points and a game-high 20 rebounds. 

The Roadrunners go back to work Saturday as they travel to Grand Rapids Community College for a Michigan Community College Athletic Association non-divisional game against the Raiders on Saturday. Southwestern Michigan opens up MCCAA Western Conference play Jan. 13 by hosting Ancilla College.

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