SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - The No. 17th-ranked Lawrence Technological University (LTU) women's basketball team came back in the final minutes to defeat upset minded Madonna (Mich.) University 67-62 on Saturday afternoon in Don Ridler Field House. The Blue Devils scored the final 10 points in the last 3:47 to secure the team's ninth straight win.
Lawrence Tech (16-1, 13-1 WHAC) was led by Christina Henry (JR/Lansing, Mich.), Allison Kitchen (JR/Clio, MI), and Hali Butler with double-figure scoring. Henry had a game high 25 points and 14 rebounds for her third career double-double over the last four games. Kitchen shot 5-for-5 from the field to finish with 13 points and five rebounds, while Butler added 12 points and six rebounds. Maegan Branham (JR/Michigan Center, MI) added four points and six rebounds in her second start of the season. Nicole Buckingham (FR/Saginaw, Mich.) had seven points and five rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench.
LTU shot 41.5 percent from the field and just 12.5 percent from downtown, but scored 17 points off 12 Madonna turnovers. The Blue Devils outrebounded the Crusaders 47-34 including 14-6 on the offensive boards.
The Blue Devils jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but Shara Long put Madonna ahead 9-7 with 5:50 left in the first quarter and the Crusaders would not relinquish the lead until the third quarter. Madonna ended the first with a five point lead, 16-11 as Buckingham sank a layup as time expired.
Lawrence Tech fought back into the game as Henry - six points during this stretch - tied it at 22-22 with 5:45 left in the second quarter. Madonna would retake the lead at 27-24, but a Hannah Huff (SR/Waterford, MI) basket cut it to one, 27-26. Justice Dean sent the Crusaders to the locker room up 30-26 following a three to end the half.
Kitchen opened the second half with four straight points to tie it at 30-30 as the teams would tie it up four times in the third quarter. Madonna would not take more than a four point lead at any time in the third quarter. LTU trailed by one point heading into the fourth quarter, 48-47 as Cris Harper made two free throws at the end of the third.
Lawrence Tech retook the lead to open the fourth, but the Crusaders were able to fight the Blue Devils off as Cris Harper hit a layup with 6:16 left in the game, giving Madonna a 56-51 lead. The Crusaders took another five point lead at 62-57 with 3:46 left in the game.
The Blue Devils closed the game on a 10-0 run to extend Lawrence Tech's current winning streak to nine games with a 67-62 win.
Harper led the Crusaders with 18 points while Becca Sabol and Long scored 13 and 12 points respectively. Sabol added 10 points to finish the day with a double-double.
Lawrence Tech is back on the court Wednesday, Jan 27 when they head to Grand Rapids, Mich., to face Cornerstone (Mich.) University. Tip is set for 5:30 p.m.
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