The University girls faced a stern test Thursday night and they passed with flying colors, winning their seventh straight game by pulling away in the fourth quarter to post a 65-55 win over Marion County Tournament semi-finalist Lawrence Central.
Kelsey DuBois scored 15 of her game high 21 points in the second half to pace University. The 6-0 junior also had eight rebounds. Senior Patty Chikamba had 14 points and team highs with nine rebounds and seven assists. Junior Payton Seay had 15 points and six rebounds.
University jumped to a quick 9-2 lead early in the game before Lawrence Central rallied to tie the game at 11 with 2:10 left in the first period. Neither team had more than a four-point lead until five minutes left in the game as the teams exchanged small runs. University led 16-14 after the first quarter and Lawrence Central had a 26-25 lead at halftime.
University took a 39-35 lead in the third period, the only time in the middle quarters the lead was larger than one possession, before Lawrence Central ran off the next six points. Payton Seay tied the game with a pair of foul shots with 1:02 left in the third before freshman Taylor Seay scored with 25 seconds on the clock to give the Blazers a 41-39 lead after three.
The Bears tied the game early in the fourth quarter before Taylor Seay put University on top for good at 43-41. DuBois scored the next two baskets for University and the Trailblazers led 47-44. Buckets by Chikamba, Patterson and DuBois put University up 53-45 with 3:50 left in the game. After a pair of Lawrence Central free throws, Chikamba fed Jordan Patterson for a layin with 3:10 left and a 55-46 lead.
DuBois stretched the lead to 11 at the 2:32 mark making both ends of a one-and-one opportunity. Baskets by Chikamba and Payton Seay and free throws by Chikamba and Kamryn Washington closed out the scoring for University.
Patterson finished with nine points. Taylor Seay had four points. Washington finished with just two points but handled the ball against the Lawrence Central pressure defense and committed only one turnover while pulling down five rebounds.
The win improved University’s record to 9-2. Lawrence Central falls to 7-6.
University is next in action on Saturday, hosting the undefeated Indianapolis HomeSchool Wildcats at noon at The U Center. The Wildcats are 14-0 with wins over five IHSAA schools. The Wildcats defeated 9-3 Northwestern 52-48 earlier this week.
UNIVERSITY 65, LAWRENCE CENTRAL 55
University FG FT TP PF
Kelsey DuBois 8-15 5-8 21 4
Patty Chikamba 5-13 4-7 14 2
Kamryn Washington 0-2 2-2 2 4
Payton Seay 5-11 4-6 15 1
Jordan Patterson 4-8 1-2 9 3
Abby Hannon 0-0 0-0 0 0
Taylor Seay 2-4 0-0 4 3
Totals 24-53 16-25 65 17
Score by Quarters
LCHS 14 12 13 16 – 55
University 16 9 16 24 – 65
University 3-point shooting (1-7) P. Seay 1-3, Chikamba 0-3, Patterson 0-1.
University rebounds (32) Chikamba 9, DuBois 8, P. Seay 6, Washington 5, Patterson 3, T. Seay 1.