WATERTOWN, Wis. — A big third quarter jump-started the Lawrence University offense Tuesday, and the Vikings pulled away down the stretch for a 61-51 nonconference women’s basketball victory at Maranatha Baptist University.
After scoring just 21 points in the first half, the Vikings exploded for 27 third-quarter points. Lawrence, which shot 57.1 percent from the floor in the second half, clamped down and held the Sabercats to five points in the fourth quarter.
Nicole Cummins scored 15 points to pace Lawrence (1-0), and Aubrey Scott added 11 points for the Vikings. Hanna Glaze led Maranatha (0-1) with 18 points, and Hannah May had 17.
Grace Minogue hit a 3-pointer to start a 10-0 Lawrence run in the third quarter that turned a 33-26 deficit into a 36-33 lead. Scott buried a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the quarter to give the Vikings a 48-46 lead after three quarters.
Lawrence led by five early in the fourth quarter, but Glaze hit a 3-pointer for the Sabercats with 6:06 left to trim the lead to 53-51. The Vikings held Maranatha without a point the rest of the way as Lawrence finished the game on an 8-0 run.
It was a balanced attack for the Vikings as Minogue, in her collegiate debut, Olivia Hoesley scored eight points apiece. Shonell Benjamin, also in her debut for the Vikings, scored six points to go with five assists, four rebounds and four steals.
The Lawrence defense forced 34 Maranatha turnovers, and the Vikings came up with 12 steals.