MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – The Trinity women's basketball team (14-10, 10-3 SAA) rebounded with a 63-54 win today against Berry College (14-10, 8-4 SAA), emerging from a defensive cage match to secure the win and a first-round bye in the SAA Championships.

Both teams played suffocating defense today, resulting in 46 total turnovers. The Tigers grabbed 11 steals to force 24 total turnovers, while Berry had 7 steals to force 22 turnovers. Trinity was also hounding the Vikings' shooters, allowing just a 36% field goal percentage and 31% shooting from three. The Tigers were efficient from the field, making 52% of their shots, but struggled from deep, hitting just 13% of their threes. The Vikings, however, were able to put up a higher volume of shots because of their performance on the offensive boards, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds to take a 4-rebound lead overall, 31-27. 

Kylie Minter (League City, Texas / Clear Springs) was huge in the win tonight, netting a season-high 27 points on 85% (11-13) shooting from the field and 50% (1-2) from three, to go along with 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Skye O'Rourke (Austin, Texas / Vandegrift) also had a big night, recording a season-high 19 points on 86% (6-7) shooting from the field while grabbing 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 steals. 

The Rundown
Neither team could jump out to an early lead in the first quarter, as the first 10 minutes of play saw six lead changes and two ties. After a back-and-forth battle, and 6 early points from Minter to make up for a slow start from the field for the rest of the team, the Tigers held a 12-11 lead heading into the second.

Despite hitting the first two buckets of the second quarter to take a 16-11 lead with 8:33 to go, the period was all Berry. After another Minter bucket kept the lead steady, 18-13 with 6:40 to play, the hounding Viking defense turned itself on. Berry scored 12 unanswered over the next four and a half minutes, forcing 5 Trinity turnovers over the same stretch. With 2:12 left, the Vikings held a 25-18 lead. They were able to hold on, taking a 27-21 lead into the break.

Fight returned to the Trinity side after halftime, as Minter and O'Rourke opened the third on a 10-0 run to regain a 31-27 lead with 6:32 to play. Berry quickly retook the advantage, but the momentum was firmly with the Tigers, who responded with another 9-0 run, this time from O'Rourke and Allison Even (Tucson, Ariz. / Salpointe Catholic), to take a 40-32 lead with 1:06 to go. The two teams traded free throws over the final minute, and Trinity took a 41-33 lead into the fourth quarter. 

Only one more time would the lead dip below eight, as the Vikings could not create any counter momentum. Minter, who scored 7 of the Tigers' first 9 points in the period, cashed in on a fastbreak layup off an Emma Winans (Austin, Texas / Vandegrift) steal to assert the largest lead of the game, 50-37. Berry responded with a 7-0 run to put some scare into the away side, but the Tigers only recreated their double-digit lead with a quick 5-0 run, and did not relent as the clock wound down. Their lead was only hampered by a Berry three-pointer with a minute to play, as Trinity escaped with a 63-54 win.

Coach Speak
"One of my favorite things about old school R&B groups is how they used to choreograph the changes in lead vocals," said Head Coach Cameron Hill. "They'd be singing, and all of sudden there would be a quick step, slide, bow, and a new lead singer emerges out front! Today we did that exact thing, and then Kylie Minter got out front, and then Kylie Minter stayed out front. It's good thing she doesn't have time left for a solo career. ONWARD."

Looking Ahead
The Tigers will close out the regular season against Southwestern University (13-11, 4-9 SAA) on Feb. 21. They'll look to finish their SAA campaign the way it started, after walloping the Pirates 91-66 to begin conference play. Currently in possession of the No. 1 seed, Trinity will take on the SAA Championships beginning on Feb. 26.