By MATT KING / Daily Journal Sports Writer

Published: Saturday, November 25, 2006
Updated: Friday, November 24, 2006 11:14 PM CST

PARK HILLS - An steady dose of defensive intensity fueled an excellent home victory for the MAC women's basketball team on Friday. The Lady Cardinals received scoring balance from 10 players to cruise past SW Illinois, 73-49.

Mineral Area (7-2) forced a modest 14 turnovers, but contested nearly every shot while keeping the Blue Storm away from the basket. Leandra Sands paced the Lady Cardinal offense with 18 points and Lesley Adams added 11.

The Las Vegas guard tandem of Jenne Webb and Jennifer Davey generated most of the offensive production for SW Illinois, as each player connected on four three-pointers. Webb scored a game-high 23 points and Davey tallied 16, while the remainder of the team accounted for three field goals.

MAC scored its first six points on three perfect trips to the foul line, and Sands buried a three from the left corner for an early 9-2 advantage. Webb kept the score close with a pair of triples, but the Lady Cardinals would begin to pull away in transition after missing a number of close-range shots.

Sarah Fraser-Jones provided a defensive spark before the break. The freshman from Australia made a driving dish to Dawn Leathers for a layup, then assisted Sands on a three-point play after making a quick steal. The Lady Cardinals carried the momentum to a 28-16 halftime lead.

Excellent ball movement helped Mineral Area increase its open scoring chances. Nikki Mitchell and Karolina Zaloga scored on diagonal skip passes into the paint, and Sands dropped in a pair of threes from the right wing in a span of two minutes.

Davey reduced the SW Illinois deficit to 48-35 on a corner triple with 12:00 left, but Fran Henderson buried a turn-around jumper to begin an impressive 13-0 scoring spurt by the Lady Cardinals.

Pepper Peters gave MAC its largest leading margin at 71-41 with her second straight basket on an assist from Zaloga. Mitchell and Zaloga finished with eight points each.

Mineral Area will host rival Three Rivers this afternoon at 3 p.m.

SW Illinois 16 33 - 49

Mineral Area 28 45 - 73

SCORING:

SW Illinois - Webb 23, Davey 16, Crawford 4, Dancy 2, Coggins 2, Eilers 1, Taylor 1.

3-point FG - Webb 4, Davey 4.

Mineral Area - Sands 18, Adams 11, Zaloga 8, Mitchell 8, Fraser-Jones 6, Leathers 6, Peters 6, Henderson 4, Cunningham 4, Akers 2.

3-point FG - Sands 3.