December 16, 2010
LAS VEGAS – The Lady Rattlers have seen their defense dominate and their offense sparkle, but they’ve been yearning for that one game where it all came together.
They got that performance Thursday.
Kristen Williams scored 15 points to lead St. Mary’s to a convincing 63-52 victory over Central Washington, as the Rattlers cruised on the first day of the fifth-annual Great Western Shootout at The Arena at South Point.
Williams (Sr., Kansas City, Mo.), who leads the team in scoring averaging 11.8 points, hauled in eight rebounds and shot 6 for 8 from the floor.
Nicole James (Jr., Indianapolis) added 13 points, shooting 2 for 3 from 3-point range, while Mareta Bailey (Sr., Grand Prairie, Texas) scored 12.
But it was Williams leading the charge as St. Mary’s (7-4) put together one of its most complete performances of the season.
The Rattlers led 31-24 at halftime, but the lead quickly ballooned as Williams got going. Held scoreless in the first half, she recorded 11 of the Rattlers’ first 13 points in the second half to help them break away.
They started the frame on a 21-8 run, taking a 52-32 lead midway through the half for their biggest lead of the night.
St. Mary’s will wrap up the Great Western Shootout against Western Washington at 3 p.m. (CT) Friday.