Photo by Ade Oshikoya
The Lady Mustang Basketball team with a record of 10-4 were confident on a win against Crowley’s Ridge College when they played on Jan. 14 in Reddin Fieldhouse, but they could not expect the surprises the games held in store. The game was a sweeping victory with a final score of 102-49, but the biggest achievements of the night were the two records surpassed by two of the team’s strongest individuals.
Junior Holly Allen broke the record for the most three-point field goals made in a single game with 10 shots passing the previous nine. Senior Kory Westerman broke the record for not only single-game steals with 11 instead of nine, but also became the first female in the history of the program to record a triple-double.
“It was an incredible feeling,” said Westerman. “Someone will eventually come along and have more steals, but being the first triple-double is one that can never be taken away.”
During the game, Westerman said that she was aware that she was close to breaking the steal record as well as the triple-double, but she knew she could not do it alone.
“It was something I couldn’t have accomplished without the help of my teammates and a coach who believed in me,” said Westerman.
The Lady Mustangs have had a record of 10-4 with 14 games left in the season at the midway point. The game set an exciting precedent for not only the team, but for individuals.
“This was an exciting opportunity for these two girls because we look at how hard we work as a team and individual things come up, but tonight, individual honors shined,” said Lyle Middleton, head women’s basketball coach, during a postgame interview with CBC Sports Information on Jan. 14.
“[Westerman] fought from one minute to the end of the game and we took her out to celebrate,” said Middleton.
Allen, with one record break, was also aware that her win could not be achieved on her own.
“I would not have gotten [the record] if I had not had the screams, the passes, [our teammates] were looking for us the whole time, so I give all the honor to our teammates,” said Allen in the postgame interview.
The excitement of the win was not only felt by the players, but Middleton as well.
“It’s an awesome feeling as a coach to be able to coach these two girls but it’s awesome for our team,” said Middleton.
