CSC Charger Women's Basketball Unable to Hold onto Halftime Lead vs. Blackhawks

Madison Lowe, CSC Women’s Basketball

GALESBURG — The Carl Sandburg College women’s basketball team took a lead into the locker room, but Southeastern (Iowa) pulled away in the second half to defeat the Chargers 72-48 on Wednesday night at John M. Lewis Gymnasium.

The Chargers (1-5) were up 24-23 after a tightly played first half and saw their lead grow to four when Madison Lowe (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap) opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer. The Blackhawks (6-2), though, responded with 14 straight points to go ahead for good and win their sixth in a row.

Sandburg was able to get back within 45-40 on a rebound basket by Jordan Price (Fulton, Ill./Fulton) to begin the fourth, but Southeastern answered with another 14-0 run, highlighted by three 3s from Miah Shelby.

“We played hard enough and defended well enough for most of three quarters, but we had some mental mistakes in the second half that really cost us,” Chargers coach Mike Bailey said. “We played a better game than when we faced them in our season opener, but we still need to bring our best effort from start to finish.”

Lowe had team highs of 19 points and eight rebounds while going 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Price added eight points and five boards off the bench for Sandburg.

The Blackhawks’ Nadirah Oakman scored a game-high 20 on 8-of-14 shooting. Shelby finished with 19 points, and Andreisha Waller added 13 points for Southeastern.

Sandburg will play this weekend at the Lincoln Classic. The Chargers face the host Lynx at 7:30 p.m. Friday and take on Lincoln Land at noon Saturday.