MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The UWF women's basketball team made clutch plays down the stretch on offense and played its most complete defensive game of the season in defeating Auburn Montgomery, 64-59, at the AUM Gymnasium on Tuesday.
UWF (2-3, 2-3 Gulf South) snapped a 3-game losing streak and allowed a season-low for opponent points and just 30 total rebounds in winning at AUM for the fifth-consecutive year. The Argos are 7-1 against the Warhawks since they joined the GSC in 2016.
The Argos led 48-47 entering the fourth quarter. That's when they ratcheted up the defensive intensity and held the Warhawks to 38 percent shooting in the quarter – their lowest in the game.
"Our focus was to have better defensive intensity, better engagement and better help all over the floor," said UWF head coach Stephanie Lawrence Yelton, who picked up her 199th career head coaching victory. "We worked on those the past two days and it paid off for us."
Meanwhile, UWF shortened the game with six of its 20 offensive rebounds and made 7-of-8 free throws to secure the game. Every time AUM got within a basket in the final eight minutes, UWF answered with a score to maintain the momentum.
One stretch was a layup from Peyton Lewis and a 3-pointer and free throw from Danielle Norquest that extended the margin to 56-49 at the midway point of the fourth. The biggest play came with a minute left when Alex Haymon got an offensive rebound and putback for a 62-59 lead. The teams traded possessions before Charlotte Ellmore iced the game with two free throws with 13 seconds left.
Norquest had 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals to lead UWF, while Ellmore finished with 14 points and a pair of triples. Haymon had her biggest game as an Argo as the freshman came off the bench to shoot 4-for-9 for 10 points and seven boards in 19 minutes.
AUM (0-5, 0-5) shot 42 percent but committed 17 turnovers, which UWF scored 14 points off. Catlin Carter led all players with 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting.
UWF will be off for the weekend before traveling to West Georgia next Tuesday. Tip-off at the UWG Coliseum is scheduled for 6 p.m. EST.
