RICHMOND, IN – Senior Brittaney Jefferson and sophomore Mackenzie Campbell combined for 46 points as the Wilmington College women's basketball team won its first road game of the season, beating Earlham Tuesday, 81-69, in non-conference action at Schuckman Court.
The pair combined to score 20 of the team's 22 points in the pivotal third quarter, including nine straight by Campbell to open the quarter.
While the dynamic duo dominated on the offensive end, the team went back to basics on the defensive end.
"We tried some new things defensively in the first half, and they didn't quite work," said Wilmington head coach Jerry Scheve. "We went back to things we normally do in the second half, and we did much better defensively."
Wilmington forced 13 of their 27 turnovers in the third quarter, and limited the Quakers to just 3-of-14 from the field. Earlham went scoreless over the final 6:10 of the third as WC pushed its lead to 13 points heading into the final frame.
Despite going cold for more than six minutes, Earlham reinvigorated its offense to start the final 10 minutes. The Quakers tallied the first seven points to cut Wilmington's lead to just six points.
Once again it was Jefferson and Campbell that helped turn Earlham away. They scored the first eight points of a 15-4 spurt that reopened it's a double figure lead.
After scoring just 20 points total in the first three games, Jefferson (Dayton, OH/Chaminade Julienne) found her way with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting with five steals. She tallied 13 of those points in the second half.
"Brittaney Jefferson, for the first time this year, played the way we know she can play," said Scheve. "We are going to need a lot more of that this season. She got some steals that led to baskets and ran the floor well helping our transition."
Campbell (Cincinnati, OH/Turpin) also finished with 23 points, 17 of which came in the second half, on 9-of-15 shooting with six rebounds.
Senior Mary Moyer (Martinsville, OH/Clinton Massie) led the team with seven rebounds and three assists. Senior Ashley Andracki (Columbus, OH/Bishop Watterson) also dished out three assists for the Fightin' Quakers.
Wilmington (3-1) returns home 3 p.m. Saturday, opening up Ohio Athletic Conference action against Mount Union.
