By Sally Sexton, Weatherford Democrat
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Monique Burnham scored 19 points and four other players scored in double digits to help carry the Weatherford College Lady Coyotes over Southwestern Christian College Wednesday night at the Betty Jo Crumm Graber Athletic Center.

Weatherford found itself trailing 8-4 early on, after Tiara Lang buried two 3-pointers, but the Lady Coyotes quickly cut it to a 2-point game, when Egidja Busaite earned a trip to the free-throw line and converted both attempts.

Lang's streak continued as she hit another one to put the Rams on top 13-7 at the 15:02 mark.

Weatherford reacted by going on a run, as Krystal Jefferson found Saule Kontoutaite on the fast break for an easy layup.

The Lady Coyotes caught a break when Burnham was fouled on the next play and a Southwest technical foul was called right after, resulting in 3-of-4 free throws for the sophomore. She followed that with a turn around jumper and Weatheford had its first lead of the game, 20-19.

The Lady Rams took the lead right out of Weatherford's hands with a free throw and Shalecia Jamerson's basket but the Lady Coyotes turned around and used Burnham's layup to tie the game at 22 apiece.

Weatherford enjoyed the slight advantage for the next few minutes before adding to it to make it 31-26 with six minutes in the half, after another Burnham field goal.

Less than three minutes later, Lang's free throws cut it back down to a two-point game but it wouldn't last long.

The Lady Coyotes powered up and scored five straight in the closing seconds of the first half for a 45-38 advantage.

Burnham scored 13 of her 19 points in the first half.

Southwest wasted no time taking control after halftime, getting it to 45-44 after two scores, but Kayla Guidry's 3-pointer broke the momentum and kept the Lady Rams at arm's length.

It took little more than a minute before Weatherford stretched to their largest lead of the game yet, at 54-44, with 16:13 on the clock.

The seperation remained the same with the Lady Coyotes countering every shot Southwest made.

Each time the Lady Rams tried to get closer, Weatherford was there for the big play, including a 3-pointer and steal that led to a 63-51 advantage, with 12 minutes to go.

The Lady Coyotes used the momentum to expand their lead and Trisha Tuck buried a 3-pointer to put Weatherford up by 16 as they held on for the win.

"Our scoring came in spurts, like we had at the end of the first half," Weatherford head coach Bob McKinley said. "We got some breaks but you've got to make those baskets when you get those kind of breaks.

"We've got to shoot better, especially on the perimeter."

The Lady Coyotes, as a team, made five treys on the night, led by Brittani Wilkins, who had two.



Southwestern 38 39 - 77

Weatherford 45 34 - 89

SOUTHWEST - Tiara Lang, 37; RoShanda Roundtree, 4; Chiquita Mack, 6; Shalecia Jamerson, 10; Jasmine Smith, 6; Nefeteria Davis, 10; Sarah Yanda, 4.

WEATHERFORD - Egidija Busaite, 10; Kayla Guidry, 5; Kasondra Foreman, 12; Brittani Wilkins, 12; Lara Gilliam, 1; Melissa Villalobos, 7; Saule Kontoutaite, 10; Krystal Jefferson, 9; Monique Burnham, 19; Trisha Tuck, 3; April Davis, 1.

3-Pointers: S- Lang (4), Mack, Davis. W- Wilkins (2), Guidry, Kontoutaite, Tuck.