Love Leads With 15 Points, Smith Adds 12 As Tigers Roll To 64-26 Win Over Belleville West

EDWARDSVILLE - Senior point guard Que Love led Edwardsville with 15 points, while senior forward Maria Smith scored 12 as the Tigers took an early 23-6 lead on their way to a 64-26 win over Belleville West in a Southwestern Conference game Thursday night at Lucco-Jackson Gym.

Smith led the early charge for Edwardsville by scoring eight points as the Tigers took an early 10-6 lead, then went on a 13-0 run to end the period, with Macy Silvey, Elle Evans and Sydney Harris all hitting threes to to make the score 23-6 after the first quarter.

It became 25-6 on a Love basket that opened the second period, then the Tigers went on a 14-2 run near the end of the first half that made it 39-11 at halftime. West came back at the start of the second half with three straight baskets, but the Tigers led 59-17 at the end of the third quarter, and went on to the 64-26 win.

Ariana Bennett scored eight points for the Tigers, while Harris, Katelynne Roberts and Silvey all had seven points, Evans and Kylie Burg had three points, and Amanda Mills had two.

The Maroons were led by Reese Bennett, who had 10 points, Lamiya Terrell had eight points, and Shaniah Nunn scored five points for West.

Edwardsville, currently the number two team in the Associated Press Class 4A state poll, raises its record to 21-1, and hosts Lutheran North in their final home game of the regular season, which will also be Senior Night, Monday with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. The Tigers wind up the season on the road, with games at East St. Louis Feb. 6, a big game at O'Fallon Feb. 11, and the regular season finale Feb. 13 at Alton.

The Maroons are now 17-8, and hosts East St. Louis Tuesday night in 7:30 p.m. tip-off, then are at O'Fallon Feb. 6. Their final three games will be at Granite City Feb. 10, home against Alton Feb. 11 and at Collinsville Feb. 13.

Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.

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