It was a battle of Top 5 teams Tuesday night at The U Center and the University girls defended their home court as the Class 2A No. 5 Trailblazers handed Class 3A No. 3 Benton Central its first defeat of the season 50-44.
Junior Kelsey DuBois and senior Patty Chikamba led University to their 14th consecutive win. DuBois had 16 points, eight rebounds, seven blocked shots and seven assists. Chikamba had 14 points, eight rebounds, six blocked shots and three assists.
The Trailblazers outscored the Lady Bison, ranked 11th in the IBCA single class poll, by a 14-4 margin in the second quarter to take a 27-15 halftime lead. University led by double digits for more than 17 minutes, from the 3:01 mark of the second quarter until 1:45 remained in the game. The Blazers made enough plays down the stretch to pull out the win, with the final score representing the closest margin since early in the second quarter.
The teams traded baskets in the first quarter with University taking a 13-11 lead after one on Chikamba’s three pointer from the top of the key with 22 seconds remaining.
Benton Central knotted the score just 12 seconds in to the second quarter before Chikamba put University on top to stay with 6:36 left, sparking a 10-point Trailblazer run. Payton Seay hit a three pointer from the right wing before Emily Adamowicz added a three pointer from the left wing. Chikamba’s basket put University up 23-13 with 3:21 left.
Carlee Musser ended a four plus minute scoreless streak for the Lady Bison with a rebound basket before DuBois ended the first half scoring with four foul shots and a 27-15 halftime lead for University.
University stretched their lead to 17 early in the third quarter. DuBois hit a three pointer, Seay scored a layin off a pass from DuBois and then Kamryn Washington scored on another DuBois assist. The lead ballooned to 37-20 with 4:40 left in the third when the 6-0 DuBois hit her second triple of the third quarter.
Benton Central started to climb back in the game but Jordan Patterson scored and Chikamba added an old-fashioned three point play with 32 seconds left in the third to put University’s lead back to 16 at 42-26. The Blazers led 42-29 after three quarters.
The Lady Bison stepped up their defensive intensity and held University without a basket for nearly three minutes before Seay scored off an assist from Chikamba. Chikamba added another basket before University went nearly two minutes without scoring. After Benton Central got within 46-38, Adamowicz had a big basket to restore a 10-point lead. DuBois closed out the scoring for University making both ends of one-and-one with 30 seconds left for a 50-40 lead and the Blazers held on.
Seay had nine points and seven rebounds, including five big offensive rebounds. Adamowicz finished with five points and four rebounds, Washington had four points on 2-for-2 shooting. Patterson had just two points but contributed five rebounds and three assists.
The win improves University to 16-2 on the season. The Trailblazers have won 14 in a row and are next in action Saturday morning at Yorktown with an 11:30 varsity tip.
Benton Central lost for the first time in 22 games. Sarah Gick had 16 points and Tressa Senesac 10. The Lady Bison will play Friday night at Hamilton Heights in the Hoosier Conference championship game. Tipoff in the Husky Dome is 7:30 p.m.
UNIVERSITY 50, BENTON CENTRAL 44
University FG FT TP PF
Kelsey DuBois 4-8 6-6 16 2
Patty Chikamba 6-9 1-1 14 2
Emily Adamowicz 2-4 0-0 5 1
Kamryn Washington 2-2 0-0 4 4
Jordan Patterson 1-3 0-0 2 4
Payton Seay 4-13 0-0 9 0
Taylor Seay 0-2 0-0 0 0
Totals 19-41 7-7 50 13
Score by Quarters
Benton Central 11 4 14 15 – 44
University 13 14 15 8 – 50
University 3-point shooting (5-7) DuBois 2-2, Chikamba 1-2, Adamowicz 1-2, P. Seay 1-1.
University rebounds (34) DuBois 8, Chikamba 8, P. Seay 7, Patterson 5, Adamowicz 4, Washington 2.