Women's Basketball | 2/15/2014 6:54:00 PM

Box Score FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist women's basketball team raced past Averett, 71-48, on Saturday afternoon in the program's annual Play 4Kay event.
 
The Monarchs (12-8, 8-6 USA South) limited the Cougars (6-15, 5-10 USA South) to 23.3 percent shooting on the day, including just 17.1 percent in the second half, and forced AU into 25 turnovers in winning by 23 points for the second time in as many outings.
 
Holding a six-point edge (21-15) with just under nine minutes to play in the first half, the Monarchs embarked on a 14-6 run to take a 35-21 lead by the 1:01 mark en route to a 37-25 lead at the break. Jackie Lyles started the spurt with four consecutive points and Monique Lofton capped the run with eight straight points of her own, including a pair of three-pointers, as the Monarchs seized control of the game. Defensively, MU limited Averett to 2-of-7 shooting with seven turnovers over the nearly eight-minute stretch.
 
Lofton opened the second half with a triple and Lyles followed with a jumper that gave MU at 42-25 lead just 38 seconds into the final period. A brief 7-0 surge pulled the Cougars to within 10 points (42-32) following a pair of free throws by Brianna Taylor with 16:04 to play, but the Cougars missed each of their next six shots from the floor as MU went back up by 17 points (49-32) on a free throw by Miriya Bryant with 13:13 on the clock. Averett never managed to cut its deficit to fewer than 13 points the remainder of the way as the Monarchs eased to the victory.
 
For the game, Averett hit 14-of-60 shots from the field, including just 2-of-14 three-point attempts (.143). Methodist shot 44.9 percent as a team (22-49), including 55.6 percent (5-9) from beyond the arc. The five made three-pointers for MU marked the most it had made since also making five in a 64-56 win over LaGrange on Jan. 4.
 
Lofton led all scorers with a career-best 17 points. She knocked down 5-of-7 three-point attempts and added a pair of steals. Lyles finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. Chandler Christensen chipped in six rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals.
 
For Averett, Brianna Taylor had a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Jessica Myers totaled 10 points and six rebounds. Micah Andrews had seven points and three steals.
 
The Monarchs now travel to Greensboro College on Sunday for a 2:00 pm contest.