HOUSTON – With HBU falling behind Sam Houston State by as many as 13 midway through the third period, sophomore guard
Lisa Zderadicka took over to ignite the Huskies to a 61-51 victory over the Bearkats in Southland Conference women's basketball Monday at Sharp Gym.
Zderadicka scored a career-high 25 points, going 7-for-15 from the field, 2-of-6 from behind the arc and 9-of-13 from the line, while handing five assists and making four steals for HBU (3-9, 1-1 SLC). Senior guard
Heidi Byrd nailed three 3-pointers and finished with 13 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots. Sophomore center
Veronika Kirienko made the most of her seven minutes, playing a key role down the stretch and finishing with eight points in seven rebounds.
Jasmine McCants led SHSU (0-11, 0-1) with 12 points to go along with four rebounds. Kiera McKinney added eight points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots, while Angela Delaney and Ashleigh Cooper each had seven points.
HBU shot 36.2 percent from the field, 28.6 percent (6-for-21) from long distance and 13-for-21 from the free-throw line, while SHSU shot 38.6 percent from the field, 11.1 percent (1-for-9) from 3-point range and only 16-for-33 from the stripe.
The Huskies started the game with an 8-2 spurt over the first five minutes, capped by a Byrd 3-pointer, but were shut out for the next 7:15 as the Bearkats went on a 14-0 run to lead 16-8. SHSU led by as many as 10 in the second period, but Zderadicka scored four of the Huskies' last five points of the half to trim the Bearkats' lead to 25-20 at the break.
McCants made a jumper and Cooper got free for a layup to give SHSU its biggest lead of the game at 38-25 with 5:21 left in the third, but HBU ended the period on a 9-0 run to trail by only four heading into the final period.
Sophomore guard
Amanda Johnson buried a three to open the fourth, completing a 12-0 run and slicing the Bearkats' lead to one, but Delaney sank a pair of free throws. Zderadicka hit a three to start a 10-0 run, then capped it with another to put the Huskies up by seven with 7:02 remaining. Morghen Day and Lydia Baxter each made a pair of free throws to get the Bearkats back within four, but Byrd drilled a pair of threes down the stretch to dash any comeback hopes for SHSU.
The Huskies return to action when they host Southeastern Louisiana Thursday at 5 p.m. at Sharp Gym.
