For three quarters of their game against University Heights Academy Friday night, the Trigg County Lady Wildcats used their outside shooting to stay in the game. Then, when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter, the Lady Wildcats attacked the basket and turned up their defense as they pulled away to a 53-44 win in Blazer Gym.
Through three quarters, the Lady Wildcats had made only two 2-point field goals. In the final eight minutes of the game, Trigg County made five from inside the arc and none from behind it as the Lady Wildcats picked up their 10th win of the season.
While it was their attack of the basket that sealed the win, the reason the Lady Wildcats were in a position to pull that off was their 3-point shooting over the first 24 minutes of the game.
The two teams went back and forth through the opening eight minutes of the game. There were three ties and three lead changes. A late three-pointer gave the Trigg County Lady Wildcats a 10-7 lead after one.
The Lady Blazers came out and clamped the defense down on the Lady Wildcats as the second quarter got started. UHA scored six straight to take a 13-10 lead. Trigg County finally got on the board in the quarter when Kara Hyde drained a three to even the game at 13-13.
From there to the end of the half Trigg County outscored UHA 10-5 to take a 23-18 lead into the break. The big difference in the half was Trigg’s outside shooting. The Lady Wildcats hit five shots from behind the arc, while UHA made just one. Olivia Noffsinger and Kara Hyde had 2 each while Tajah Grubbs made one.
The Lady Blazers hung around at the free throw line, making 9 of 12 in the first half of play.
UHA opened the second half on a 13-3 run to take their biggest lead of the night at 31-26. The reason for the run was Lee Lee Love. After Love was held without a field goal in the opening half, the Lady Blazers made a concerted effort to get the ball to Love in the lane, and it paid off.
The lead was short-lived as the Trigg County 3-point shooting chewed up the lead and the Lady Wildcats were back in front 37-35 when the quarter ended.
A big moment in the game came early in the 4th quarter when LeLe Love picked up her 4th foul. Coach Derrick Hickman tried to spell Love and buy some time. But with Love off the floor, Trigg County began to attack the basket and Hickman could not leave her off the floor very long. But the time that she was off the court allowed the momentum to move over to the Lady Wildcats.
A 10-2 run to open the 4th quarter put the game firmly in the Lady Wildcats’ grasp. Olivia Noffsinger and Kara Hyde made big plays for Trigg County coming down the stretch as the Lady Wildcats held on for the nine-point win.
Noffsinger led Trigg County with 18 points, while Hyde added 14. Both made three shots from behind the 3-point line.
For UHA, Alicia Davis finished the game with 15 points. Lee Lee Love added 14 before fouling out late.
Trigg County finishes the regular season at 10-16. The Lady Wildcats begin district tournament play Monday night at Smithland as they take on Livingston Central.
UHA drops to 5-21. The Blazers will close out the regular season Saturday when they host Webster County at noon in Blazer Gym.
TCHS – 10 13 14 16 — 53
UHA – 07 11 17 09 — 44
Trigg County – Noffsinger 18, Hyde 14, Alexander 6, McGee 6, Grubbs 6, Rogers 3
University Heights – Davis 15, Love 14, Bass 7, Quarles 6, Hoosier 2
