Fayette, Mo. - Returning to the floor for the first time since Nov. 27, the No. 7 Central Methodist women's basketball program cruised past William Penn, 91-49 Wednesday night inside Puckett Field House.
With the victory, Central improves to 9-2 and 1-2 in conference play, while the Statesmen fall to 0-13 and 0-4 in the Heart. It also marks the first-career victory for Associate Head Coach Remy Lory.
The Eagles' offense went right to work in the first quarter, outscoring the Statesmen, 24-8. In the second, Central held WPU to just seven points en route to a 45-15 halftime lead. William Penn gained more offensive production in the final two quarters but was unable to catch up, as CMU went on to earn a 42-point victory.
Senior guard Arleighshya McElroy led the offense with 28 total points. She also added eight rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block. Overall, the native of Dallas, Texas shot over 50-percent from the field including four-of-seven from the three-point line and a perfect eight-for-eight at the charity stripe. The 28 points mark McElroy's fifth 20-point performance so far this season.
Leah Johnson was the second Eagle to land in double figures as the freshman tallied a season-high 17 points paired with 10 rebounds, good enough for a double-double.
Leianya Massenat also reached double-digit scoring with 13 points. The freshman guard stuffed the stat sheet with seven rebounds, six assists, three steals, and a block.
The duo of Daesjah Ely and Vanessa Hughes rounded out the double-digit scorers for Central, as the pair each recorded 11 points. Hughes had her best offensive outing in a CMU uniform, shooting four-of-nine from the field including three three-point baskets. Kendranea' Addison nearly cracked double-figures with nine points. She also added 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Central's defense held the Statesmen to 23.5-percent shooting from the floor and 21.9-percent from beyond the arc. In addition, CMU forced 17 turnovers on 10 steals and recorded four total blocks.
The Eagles continue conference action with a short trip to Marshall, Mo. to face Missouri Valley College Saturday, Dec. 11 at 2:00 p.m.
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