Central, SC – The Crusaders went, played, and conquered Southern Wesleyan defeating the Warriors 69 – 66. Notably the Crusaders were without their freshmen sensation Haylee Luttrell who has been sidelined for the year due to a broken hand. The game seemed to be a battle of monkey-see monkey-do as the Crusaders and Warriors played nearly identical games on the score board with the largest lead of the night being the four points that separated the two teams at the end of the first quarter. The difference for the Crusaders was the 13 assists that the team dished out carving up the Warrior defense.

It was a tale of two halves for the Crusaders as the team ramped up their shooting in the second half shooting 85% from three-point land and 52% percent from the field in total. The Crusaders have made a living shooting the ball well over the course of the season as the team averages over 30% from three-point range. Part of the reason the Crusaders have been so well from downtown is the trifecta of Journey Muhammed (Freshman), Karen Donehew (Junior), and Bree Stoddard (Sophomore).

Donehew is no second-hand name as she leads the team in both scoring and rebounding. However, coming off the bench early in the year Muhammed has made a difference for the Crusaders giving the team a new dynamic from the point guard and guard position. Muhammed has posted a staggering 38% over the course of the 2018 – 2019 season and has been a spark for the Crusader offense at times. Recently off of the IR, Stoddard is back in late season form as she nailed 5 of 10 from behind the arc. Stoddard emerged as a sharp shooter for the Crusaders last season and has been a constant threat for the team from the outside. Her presence in the game was definitely felt as her first game back she posted a season high 17 point.

The Crusaders pulled out the win despite being severely handicap throughout the game. Not only are the Crusaders without Luttrell and senior captain Kyli Schmitt, who is recovering from a recent concussion. The Crusaders fought through foul trouble, which sidelined Donehew along with Ty Saunders (Sophomore) and senior captain Elizabeth Trentham.

Coming down the stretch the game was not nearly as close as the score tells. With 1:35 left on the clock the Crusaders possessed the ball and a six-point lead. After valiant efforts by the Warriors to make tough shots with Crusader hands disrupting shooting motions the game came down to a free throw battle. In the end, the Crusaders edged out the Warriors 69 – 66.

Despite their 10 combined fouls Donehew and Saunders combined for 24 points, 9 rebounds, and4 assists. Muhammed and Stoddard picked up the slack in the second half and finished the game with a combined 28 points with 21 of those coming off three-pointers.

The Crusaders will now travel to Lincoln Memorial for a Valentine’s Day match-up. That game is scheduled to tip-off at 6 pm in Harrogate. The Crusaders then come home as they host King University on Saturday, February 16th for Senior Night. That game is set for 2 pm with the Senior presentation to follow.