No. 4-ranked Lady Wolves overwhelm East Central
Published 6:00 am Tuesday, January 21, 2003
WESSON – Tiania Burns and her Copiah-Lincoln Community Collegeteammates conducted a shooting clinic Monday night in MullenGymnasium. Burns pumped in 28 points and the nationally-ranked No.4 Lady Wolves trampled East Central’s Lady Warriors 89-71 in aSouth Division showdown.
Co-Lin raised its record to 16-0 overall and 5-0 in the South.Sophomore center Shaquita Smith followed Burns with 14 points and 6rebounds. Playmaker Ayme Beeson made 5 assists.
Burns, a Mississippi State signee out of Nashville, Tenn.,earned All-American honors as a freshman. The sophomore guard had19 points at halftime as Co-Lin claimed a 49-20 halftime lead. Shesat out the final 10:58 of the game, departing with Co-Lin on top72-36. She also had 5 steals and 3 assists.
“We shot the ball well in the first half,” said Co-Lin women’scoach Gwyn Young. “We made 22 of 32 field goals. That’s 68percent.”
Young substituted early and his bench responded with solidminutes. “Our defense was real good, too,” Young pointed out.Everything was clicking on offense and defense.”
Co-Lin zoomed to a 25-2 lead as Burns bagged a trey and a2-pointer to cap the impressive run.
Nikki Blakely, a sophomore forward from Brookhaven, said Co-Linplayed extremely well. “We played like a No. 4 team tonight. Ireally like the way our team plays. They are together.”
Blakely and sophomore teammate Lindsay Altman each scored 8points. Burns, Blakely and Altman were starters on last season’sstate and regional championship team which advanced to the nationaltournament in Salina, Kan.
East Central (9-6, 3-2), coached by Brad Hodge, was caught inCo-Lin’s buzz saw last night and never recovered. The Lady Warriorsgot 13 points from Patsy McKee, a 5-7 sophomore guard from Forest.Kimyatta Viverette added 11 points.
The Lady Wolves tackle archrival Southwest Thursday night atSummit. Tipoff is 6 p.m. in Holmes Gymnasium.