Lyon Athletics
Matthew Jagodzinski, Assistant Athletic Director for Media and Communications
HANNIBAL, Mo. – After a premature ending to the 2019-20 season and a delayed start to the 2020-21 campaign, the 23rd-ranked Lyon College women’s basketball team finally returned to action on Thursday night. Senior Jade Giron scored a career-high 33 points to help the Scots (1-0, 1-0 AMC) earn a 68-52 win at Hannibal-LaGrange (1-6, 0-1 AMC).
Giron’s 33 points were four shy of tying K.K. Hodges’ single-game record of 37, which she scored for the Scots on Feb. 9, 2008.
Giron found her groove right from the opening tip as she scored five of the Scots’ first seven points of the game. Later in the quarter, Giron connected on a three-pointer that gave Lyon a 15-5 lead with 3:21 left in the period. HLGU managed to cut the deficit to single-digits as a jumper by Emma Anderson put the score at 17-11 in favor of Lyon after the first quarter.
A three-pointer by Mari-Hanna Newsom opened up a 9-0 run for the Scots midway through the second quarter as Giron connected on three straight buckets during the stretch. The Scots held onto a double-digit lead the rest of the quarter and led 36-26 at the half.
HLGU pulled back within six points at the 5:09 mark of the third quarter but a pair of free throws by Blysse Harmon and another three by Newsom pushed the Scots lead back to double-digits.
The Scots’ lead grew to as many as 19 during the fourth quarter as a jumper by Haley Wesley gave Lyon a 59-40 advantage. The Lady Trojans attempted one final comeback and pulled back within nine with 1:25 remaining, but Giron put the game out of reach as she scored the final seven points of the contest.
Freshmen Newsom and Paige Kelley also finished in double figures scoring with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Scots will now travel to St. Louis to take on Missouri Baptist in another AMC contest on Saturday at 1 p.m. Fans will not be allowed at Saturday’s game at MBU.