LSU Eunice used a three-point barrage and standout night inside from Chelsey White en route to a 74-64 win over East Central CC in the Region 23 Women's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals on Monday inside the HPRE Center.
It's the first time in program history the Bengals (18-3) have won two postseason games in Division I Region 23 play.
White provided an early spark for LSUE, scoring six of her game-high 19 points in the first quarter to help the Bengals hold a 19-13 edge.
Alona Washington would push the Bengals' lead into double digits in the second, with a three pointer sparking a 9-2 mini-run and building a 13-point advantage.
LSUE would take a 33- 26 lead into intermission.
The two teams continued to feel each other out in the second until the game swung in LSUE's favor for good on what would be a five-point play.
After Washington was fouled on a made layup, East Central was assessed a technical foul on the bench.
Washington would make two of the three free throws which would start a 20-6 run the final 5:47 of the quarter.
LSUE would make three trifectas in that span including Abigail Lynch’s long range shot with 23.2 seconds left in the quarter to give the Bengals a 62-42 lead.
Lynch connected on a trio of three pointers in the quarter, four in the half, on her way to 14 second half points.
LSUE shot 8-for-20 (40.0%) from three-point range, making five in the third quarter alone. Trinity Harold added two trifectas of her own, pumping in 12 points.
The Warriors would fight back in the fourth quarter, getting to within nine points, before LSUE put the game away for good.
ECCC would be led by 16 points from India Singleton, including 12 in the final frame.
Washington finished with 15 points and five rebounds, while Trastasia Hester filled the stat sheet with nine points, four rebounds, seven assists and four steals.
The win for LSUE set up another Region 23 semifinal against Jones College Wednesday, at the A.E. Wood Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi College.
The Bengals fell to the Bobcats, 84-72, last year in the semifinal round.
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