FRANKLIN, Indiana – The Mount St. Joseph women's basketball team hit the road on Wednesday, heading to take on one of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference's (HCAC) top teams in the Franklin Grizzlies. The Lions returned to Cincinnati after securing a 61-55 win, on the strength of a 19-12 fourth quarter advantage.
The Lions had a trio of double-figure scorers in the ball game, led by senior guard Karlee Mills who scored a game-high 24 points. Morgan Jenkins pitched in an efficient 17-point, nine-rebound performance, while Sam Price added a 10-point, 15-rebound double-double. For Price, it marked her second consecutive double-double.
The game opened with back-and-forth action, which would be the story throughout. Franklin jumped out to an early lead, extending it to five just over four minutes in, but the Lions answered with a run and ended the quarter with a five-point advantage of their own.
A quick 6-0 spurt to open the second quarter pushed the Lions' advantage to a game-high 11 points. From there, the Grizzlies went to work chipping away at the Mount's lead, and a three-pointer with 37 seconds remaining in the half cut the deficit to just four. The Lions responded, as Jenkins drilled a mid-range jumper on the team's final possession of the half to send them into the break leading 34-28.
Coming out of halftime, it was the Grizzlies who took control, opening the period with an 8-2 run to tie the game at 36. The Lions scored only eight points in the third quarter, which allowed Franklin to take a one-point lead into the final period.
Franklin pushed its lead to six early in the fourth quarter, but the Lions quickly answered with an 11-1 run to regain the advantage. The run was capped by a Mills three-pointer, which she followed with a crucial and-one. Franklin cut the lead back to three with 40 seconds remaining, but on the ensuing possession, Sam Price converted a layup with 22 seconds to play to all but seal the win.
UP NEXT: The Lions will host the Earlham Quakers in the Harrington Center on Saturday at 1:00 PM. Saturday is Senior Day for the Lions, as they celebrate the careers of Morgan Jenkins, Karlee Mills and Hailey Guingrich!
