No. 21 Wallace State women breeze by L.B. Wallace, ready for showdown with No. 16 Shelton State

HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Wallace State’s 21^st-ranked women’s basketball team can now turn its attention to No. 16 Shelton State after a convincing 90-44 non-conference victory over Lurleen B. Wallace CC at Tom Drake Coliseum on Saturday.
The Lady Lions, who have won 13 of 14 games, finished with a season-high scoring output against the Saints, draining 11 of their 15 3-pointers in the second half.
Sophomore forward Morgan Smith finished with 16 points for Wallace State, Haven Albright scored 10 points, Leslie Whiddon had a career-high 10 points off the bench and Kaneisha Mixon added eight.
“After Tuesday night we had been feeling sorry for ourselves and hanging our head a little. We started off sluggish today (Saturday). We had a talk at halftime and came back out and played the way we are capable of playing,” said Wallace State women’s coach Ron Burdette, whose team dropped its conference opener at Gadsden State on Jan. 13. “I think we are in the right frame of mind and ready for Shelton State to visit our place (on Tuesday). It should be a good one. It always is.”
As has been the case in recent years, Wallace State (17-2, 0-1 Alabama Community College Conference) and Shelton State’s women’s programs will oppose each other as nationally-ranked foes. The Lady Lions, the defending ACCC North champions, swept the Lady Bucs last season.
Shelton State’s women (19-1) have won 17 games in a row.
Tuesday’s tip is at 5:30 p.m., with the men’s game to follow at 7:30 p.m.
“We are certainly going to know where we stand after we play the first two conference games. Every time we play Shelton State it’s a big deal for our players and for the college. It has to be the best rivalry in the conference,” Burdette said. “It’s the first of two games against them and hopefully three. Shelton State is always good. I think we are good, so it should be fun.”
On Saturday, Wallace State pulled away from L.B. Wallace late in the first half. A 3-point play by Smith gave the Lady Lions their first double-digit lead, at 27-15, with 6:41 left in the half. Albright added a 3-pointer a couple of possessions later, pushing Wallace State’s cushion to 32-15 with 4:30 remaining before the half.
Wallace State yielded only three more points before the half and led 41-18 at the break.
L.B. Wallace never mounted a threat in the second half, which allowed Wallace State to reward some of the reserves with lengthy minutes.
Whiddon nailed a pair of 3’s off the bench for Wallace State during her career-best effort, Hannah Black scored eight points, Kasey Sparks had seven and Rachael Diamond, Tyra Caudle and Brennan Crabtree each scored six points.
Seven Wallace State players nailed at least one 3-pointer.
RaAunna Caldwell led L.B. Wallace (1-14) with 15 points in the loss.
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit wallacestate.edu.