Sterling College

The Sterling College women's basketball team improved their record to 21-7 with a 64-47 win over Ottawa University last night in the first round of the KCAC Tournament at the Gleason Center. This was the fourth time in five years that Sterling has faced Ottawa in the KCAC tournament. It was the first time though that it wasn't in the KCAC Tournament Championship.

Sterling opened the game trailing 2-9 after turning the ball over four times in as many minutes. Sterling finally took the lead back with 11:18 to play in the first half when Ashley Kraft stole a pass from Ottawa's Hallie Adrian and hooked up with Britany Gasper to take a 10-9 lead. Sterling then outscored the Braves 17-11 over the next ten minutes to take a seven point advantage into halftime.

In the second half, the Lady Warriors opened up with a 14-5 run sparked by two more steals by Kraft and buckets from Gasper, Jacci Tinkel and Cami Racette. With four minutes to play in the game Sterling built their biggest lead of the game going up by twenty off an Ashley Gasper jumper. Sterling never let OU get within sixteen the rest of the way. Sterling forced Ottawa into thirty-one turnovers on the night.

Kraft led the Warriors with eighteen points, nine rebounds and six steals. Gasper added fourteen points.

Sterling will now face Tabor College on Saturday at 2:00pm at the Gleason Center. Tabor (12-17) escaped Kansas Wesleyan on Wednesday night 52-47 in Hillsboro.

(Photo's Courtesy of Grayson Graves)