COLLINSVILLE – Sydney Harris and Que Love helped spark a 12-0 Edwardsville run in the third quarter that turned the game around as the Tigers defeated Collinsville 47-31 in both teams’ Southwestern Conference opener Thursday night at Vergil Fletcher Gym.
It was the Tigers’ 54th consecutive win in the SWC, a streak that dates back just over four years. It was the Kahoks who dealt Edwardsville their last loss in the league on Dec. 3, 2015, a 70-68 decision for Collinsville.
The 12-0 run was a part of an overall 21-5 charge by the Tigers over nearly the final 10 minutes of the game after the Kahoks had tied it up at 26–26 in the third.
The Tigers led at halftime 20-17, but the Kahoks took the lead on a Kristyn Mitchell basket early in the third quarter to make it 21-20. After Astacia Bush hit a free throw to tie the game at 26-26 later on, Ariana Bennett, coming off the bench, grabbed a big offensive board and hit a free throw to give Edwardsville the lead back by a point. Elle Evans nailed a three and Love hit a jumper late to make it 32-26 after the third quarter, then back-to-back threes by Harris and Love at the start of the fourth gave the Tigers a 38-26 lead. From there, Edwardsville outscored Collinsville 11-5 the rest of the way to earn the win.
The Kahoks made only one field goal during the final part of the game, turning the ball over eight times in that period.
Harris was the game’s leading scorer with 15 points, while Love finished with 10 for the Tigers. Mitchell and Caite Knutson led Collinsville with nine points each, while Riley Doyle had five on the evening.
The Tigers are now 6-0 on the season, and next play Tuesday at home against Belleville East in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off, then are at Belleville West Dec.12 before hosting Highland in the opening game of the Scott Credit Union Shootout Dec. 14 at Lucco-Jackson Gym in an 11:30 a.m. tip. The Kahoks go to 4-2, and start a three-game road trip Tuesday at East St. Louis in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off, are at O’Fallon Dec.12 and finish the stretch at Jersey Dec. 17.
Chris Rhodes also contributed to this story.
