Lady Wave Secure Third Win Of Season Against Great Lakes

CCSJ-Lady-Wave-Secure-Third-Win-Of-Season-Against-Great-LakesHaving already surpassed their win total from last season, the Calumet College of St. Joseph women's basketball team wanted to keep that positive momentum going when they welcomed Great Lakes Christian College to the Rittenmeyer Center. 30 points off the bench helped the Wave do just that, winning their second game in three attempts 57-49 Wednesday evening in Whiting.

Both team had trouble getting into the flow of the game early on, missing several baskets each. Geena Locicero (SR/Chicago Heights, Ill.) finally broke through for the first basket of the game at the 6:21 mark with a slick layup under the basket. The Lady Wave (3-7, 0-6 CCAC) were able to get their lead up to eight before Great Lakes got back into it with three straight scores. CCSJ still managed to take a lead into the second quarter at 12-10, and would never allow GLCC to lead throughout the evening. The Crimson and Gray went on an 8-0 run to open the second, allowing them to outscore Great lakes 15-9 throughout the quarter. However, the low halftime score of 27-19 was due in large part to the 27 combined turnovers throughout the initial two frames.

CCSJ finally managed to get some breathing room in the third, obtaining a 18 point lead with only 2:34 left in the quarter. Confidence was running high taking a 43-30 lead into the final stanza, but Great Lakes would not go down easy. The Lakes outscored the Wave 19-14 in the fourth, but their star player Brianna Mayes fouled out before they could complete their comeback. Four Krista Brill (JR/Oak Forest, Ill.) free throws was enough to seal the deal, as the Wave secured the victory once again 57-49, despite a game high 18 turnovers.

Great Lakes played an intense defensive game that disrupted the Wave's game plan, which is one of the main reasons why Calumet committed so many turnovers. While head coach Steve Helm acknowledged that it wasn't the cleanest game, a win is a win. "Any time you can get a win, you'll take it. It wasn't pretty, but we knew what type of team they were and what we needed to do to beat them. They're very scrappy. We eventually got that double figure lead, but then they clawed their way back into it in the fourth. We just have to have a better focus, and just have that determination to not to play down to the level of competition that we're playing against."

Brill came off the bench and led the Lady Wave with 14 points in the game, while Katie Martin (FR/Anderson, Ind.) helped out with four assists, and Hannah Carr (JR/White Pigeon, Mich.) pulled down nine boards. The Wave's bench outscored their counterparts 30-6, and the team tallied 12 second chance points.

Holy Cross College is next up for the Lady Wave, as CCSJ returns to CCAC action. Helm knows that his team cannot make the same mistakes this weekend that they did tonight. "The Saints are going to be very competitive, so we have to come out with a different mindset. That effort will have to start during our next practice." Tipoff from Notre Dame, Ind. is scheduled for Noon central.

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