Last updated on February 25, 2015
by Jason Crownover// Contributing Writer
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, the Volunteer State Community College Pioneers men and women basketball teams hosted the Southwest Tennessee Saluqis on their home court in Gallatin.
The women’s game ended with a score of 70-61, with Vol State picking up the victory, while the men’s game was won by Southwest Tennessee, with a final of 100-75.
Tip off for the women’s game was at 5:30 p. m.
The Lady Pioneers scored 42 points going into half time and a 14 point lead over Southwest Tennessee.
Down by 14 points at halftime; Andrea Matre, the Lady Salaqis head coach, said her team played “lead footed” in the first half and needed to “try to get stops” in the second half.
Sophomore Guard Ta’Keyha Flowers, sophomore guard, led the Lady Pioneers with 18 points at the break.
Otis Key, Vol State head women’s basketball coach, said he wanted to “maintain defensive pressure and move the ball around” when going into the second half.
Throughout the second half, the Lady Saluqis began to make a run at the Lady Pioneers. Southwest Tennessee outscored the Lady Pioneers by five points in the second half, and started running the fast break more efficiently late in the game.
The Lady Saluqis also tallied 10 points from the free throw line in the second half, and were led by LaKyesha Stennis, a freshman guard, who acquired 18 points in the second half.
In the end, the Lady Pioneers prevailed with a final score of 70-61.
The men’s game began at 7:30 p. m.
In the first half, Rasheed Brooks, Southwest Tennessee sophomore guard, and Jalen McGaughy, forward, scored 24 points from the three point line combined.
Vol State’s pair of sophomore wingmen, Jason Stone and Steven Nicks, combined for 18 points in the first half.
Throughout the game, the Saluqis played full court defense on the Pioneers.
Southwest Tennessee maintained constant pressure, forced turnovers and forced bad shots to be taken.
The Saluqis defense was getting stops and producing consistent offense from good defense.
Jerry Nichols, Southwest head coach, said his team wanted to “speed (Vol State) up, keep pressure up.”
The contest was won by high field goal percentage and good shooting from the free throw line. The Saluqis shot a total of 23 for 29 from the charity stripe as well as 50 percent from the three-point line, converting on 11 of their 22 tries.
The game ended with a score of 100 to 75, with the Saluqis getting the win.
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