GOSHEN, Ind. - Lindzy Cox scored a game- and career-high 27 points to go with a team-leading 12 rebounds in a tremendous double-double effort, but the Roosevelt women's basketball team's road battle against host Goshen (Ind.) went the way of the Leafs late as the Lakers fell 81-68 in the opener of the Maple Leaf Shootout on Friday night.
JayShari Chears added 17 points, five assists and four steals, while Meleah Turner scored nine points and corralled a career-best 11 boards for the Lakers (0-2).
Ashley Smoldt added eight points and four dimes.
TaNiece Chapman led Goshen (3-2) with 19 points.
The game was close throughout, thanks to the Lakers' stout defensive intensity that created 22 takeaways, and Roosevelt used that defense to buoy its offense and build up a nine-point lead late in the third following a hoop and some harm from Cox for a three-point play.
The Leafs closed within four to end the quarter, and in a two-point game Goshen used a 9-0 burst to close the game by outscoring Roosevelt 14-3 as the Lakers ran out of gas.
"I am really proud of our defensive effort," Roosevelt head coach Emily Ragsdale said after the game. "We caused absolute chaos for three quarters. We are learning and improving each week, and I think once we put a full 40-minute effort in, we will be scary. We've been preaching defense, defense, defense from day one of this journey and tonight we took five charges, forced 22 turnovers and 15 in the first half, and had 12 steals.
"Tonight was a battle," Ragsdale continued. "Very happy with our senior Lindzy Cox who put up 27 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. From the start of the season I've been challenging Lindzy to be a more all-around player and tonight she stepped up to that challenge on the boards. She had energy for her teammates from the tip and I think that shined throughout the game.
"We face a tough Grace team tomorrow in a less than 24-hour turnaround, and I am excited to see this team's tenacious effort again."
Roosevelt closes its stay at the Maple Leaf Shootout on Saturday against Grace (Ind.) at 1 p.m. Central.
