Women's Basketball | 2/1/2025 10:30:00 PM
HOUGHTON, NY – The Houghton Highlanders celebrated Senior Day with an emphatic, 72-49 victory over the Russell Sage Gators and snapping a four-game losing skid. Needing only three points to become just the 13th player in Houghton women's basketball history to score 1,000 points, Kayla Camacho sank her first point of the night on a free throw to open the second quarter, then hit a layup at the 6:26 mark to cross the threshold.
Much like last night, both teams started slow. At the end of the first 10 minutes, Houghton held a 9-6 advantage, as both teams shot under 20 percent from the field.
But the Highlanders finally hit their offensive stride in the second quarter, outscoring the Gators, 23-12, opening up a 14-point lead at the half.
Meanwhile Houghton continued to dominate defensively, thanks to a swarming full-court pressure. The Highlanders forced 19 turnovers and limited the Gators to only 27 percent shooting on the day.
Houghton continued to pull away down the stretch, finishing off the much-needed victory.
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 72 | Sage – 49
Records: Houghton: 14-6 (5-6 Empire 8) | Sage: 6-13 (5-6 Empire 8)
Venue: The Nielsen Center, Houghton University | Attendance: 185
NOTABLE STATS
>> Camacho finished with nine points, giving her 1,006 for her career, only one behind 12th-place holder, Lori Sheetz ('93). Her two three pointers give her 57 on the season and into a tie for fourth with April Batt.
>> Tabitha DeVries led the Highlanders with 16 points and nine rebounds, while senior Abby Guiher scored a season-high 14 points, going 5-for-11 from the field, including 4-of-9 from three-point range.
>> Lilly Bentley chipped in 10 points and seven boards, while Crysta LaCrosse posted six points, seven rebounds, four steals, and a season-best nine assists. LaCrosse now has 103 assists on the season and 285 in her career, the latter of which ranks fifth all-time at Houghton.
UP NEXT
The Highlanders travel to Elmira next Friday, January 7 for a key Empire 8 matchup with the Soaring Eagles. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.