DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle women's basketball team notched its fifth win of the season on Friday, topping Davenport (5-6) 76-70 in the first game of the Embry-Riddle Holiday Classic.
Keturah Balabyekkubo led all players with a career-high 19 points to help the Blue and Gold improve to 5-4 on the year.
Balabyekkubo was joined in double figures by
Rachel Murray (15),
Jenna Teterycz (12) and
Madyson Jean-Louis (11) as the Eagles shot 54.2 percent (26-48) from the field for their highest point total so far this season.
The Panthers used a three and a layup to take a five-point lead to start the contest but a layup by Jean-Louis and threes by Murray and Teterycz put the Eagles up 8-6 early in the first quarter. After a minute without a point by either team, Davenport went on an 8-0 run to go back in front by six (14-8). Once again, the Eagles were able to rally and reclaim the lead (18-16), but the Panthers scored back-to-back treys to close out the quarter with a 22-18 advantage.
Davenport still held a four-point lead midway through the second period, but after Lauren Wood's three at the 5:08 mark, the Panthers went cold from the field and were scoreless for the remainder of the frame. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles forced nine Panther turnovers and shot 50 percent (7-of-14) from the field to outscore the visitors 17-6 and take a 35-28 lead at the intermission.
The Panthers used an 81.4 percent shooting clip to make it a one-point game at the end of the third. Davenport made nine of its 11 field goal attempts, with their only misses coming from long range. The first seven points of the period went to Davenport who tied the score at 35-35 at the 8:18 mark. The score was still tied five minutes later (45-45) when the Panthers converted on a free throw and a layup to go up 48-45. A Jean-Louis bucket and a Murray three returned the scoring edge to the Eagles and heading into the final frame, the score was 51-50 in favor of ERAU.
The teams continued to trade baskets and with 4:50 remaining the score was knotted at 61-61. On the next Panther possession,
Sydney Jones came up with a steal and the Eagles eventually got the ball to Balabyekkubo who buried her second three of the game to put the Eagles up 64-61. From that point, the Eagles did not relinquish the lead, going 9-of-14 from the field, 3-of-7 from beyond the arc and 4-of-7 from the free throw line in the final 10 minutes to pull out the win.
The Eagles will be back on the court tomorrow to close out the Embry-Riddle Holiday Classic with a 3 p.m. game against Young Harris.
The 2022-23 Embry-Riddle women's basketball season is presented by Daytona Mitsubishi.
