Posted: Feb 03, 2012
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Sammie Gathercole and Towanda Sutton combined for 36 points on Thursday to lead Central Methodist to a 73-63 win at Evangel in the Ashcroft Center. The win marks the fourth straight for the Lady Eagles and improves the record�to 11-10 overall, 8-3 in the Heart of American Athletic Conference.
The four-game win streak marks the longest for Central Methodist�since November of 2003.
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Gathercole�scored a season-high�20 points to lead all scorers. She was 7-of-10 from the field, perfect (2-of-2) from behind the three-point arc and made four free throws. Sutton added 16. Nakia Robinson had 11.
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Kara Blankenship led Evangel (7-13, 5-6 HAAC) with 17 points. Jaimee Shields chipped in 12 points for the Crusaders.
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Evangel trailed 39-37 at halftime after a fast paced first half but could not keep up with the Lady Eagles as Central Methodist shot 60 percent from the floor in the game, hitting 25-of-42 shots. Central Methodist outscored Evangel 18-9 in the first 9:32 of the second half to claim a 57-46 lead and went up by as much as 18 before the Crusaders rallied back within nine late in the contest.
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Central Methodist will travel to No. 20 MidAmerica Nazarene on Saturday, Feb. 4. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
