GEORGETOWN, TX – The Vikings are spending their weekend in Texas for a two-game trip, which began with a 51-43 victory over Southwestern.
The Vikings' rebounding and bench scoring put them over the top in this one, as they out rebounded the Pirates 34-28, including 14 offensive rebounds. The bench also outplayed Southwestern with 16 points compared to just two from the Pirates.
Elly Callihan led the way with 16 points and 8 rebounds, while freshmen Avery Payne and Avery Huffman made big plays with 8 points each.
The Vikings went ahead 4-0 early behind Avery Payne free throws and a face-up jumpshot from Briaiah Lewis. Payne continued her impactful start a few possessions later with a coast-to-coast layup to make it 6-0, sparking a Southwestern timeout.
The early onslaught continued with a putback layup from Callie Jackson, before the Pirates finally responded with a three to turn things in their favor.
The hot start led to the Vikings nursing a 13-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Pirates responded quickly though with a 5-0 run to take a 14-13 lead with just over five minutes left in the half.
Seeing her team needed a bucket, Briaiah Lewis cashed in again on a face-up jumper from the opposite side of her first one to give Berry a one-point advantage with four minutes to play. A few possessions later, Avery Payne slashed through the lane and dumped off a textbook bounce pass to a wide-open Elly Callihan, who drilled a mid-range jumpshot to build the Viking lead back out to two with just over 2 minutes left in the half. A couple Southwestern buckets left them up 22-19 before Briaiah Lewis drilled a mid-range jumper off the glass to close out the half with the Vikings trailing by just one point, 22-21.
The second half got going with an Addison Ghorley three off a dish from Callihan. Callihan paid herself back with a mid-range jump shot and a three pointer that gav Berry a 31-26 advantage with 8 minutes left in the third. The freshmen connection was true a few plays later, as Ghorley found a cutting Payne, who finished a layup to give Berry their largest lead of the game at 7 points, 33-26.
Southwestern responded quickly, though, to cut the lead to two with four minutes left in the third. Freshman Avery Huffman came up big, as she swindled the ball from the Pirates and spun to the basket in transition to finish a layup that pushed the lead back out to four. Huffman's spark continued to flare, as she received a pass from Ava Travis and drilled a three to make it a 38-32 Viking advantage with under two minutes left in the third. A Southwestern free throw left the Vikings with a 38-33 lead heading into the fourth.
Fittingly, the fourth quarter began with a locked and loaded Avery Huffman drilling a three-ball, courtesy of an Avery Payne find. The Pirates responded quickly though to cut the lead to four, sparking a timeout with still over nine minutes left in the game.
Down the stretch, the Vikings leaned on their senior leadership, as Ellard and Callihan scored four straight points, and a key charge taken by Ellard let to a Callihan jumper off a Briaiah Lewis assist to push their lead to 47-41 with 3 and a half minutes to play. After a Southwestern response, a gutsy move from Callihan was pure, as she drop stepped to the basket and finished a hook shot off the glass to push the lead back to 6 with under 2 minutes to play.
The Vikings closed out the game on an outstanding stretch defensively to earn a 51-43 victory.
Women's hoops is back in action on Sunday against Trinity (TX) at 1 PM ET.
