Claremont, Calif. - Senior guard Steffani Liscum (Tucson, Ariz./Marana H.S.) scored 35 points with five three-pointers but Claremont-Mudd Scripps College (2-2) began the game with a 24-3 run and led by as many as 18 points in the first half and outrebounded ACU, 57-32, and prevailed over the Firestorm, 86-66, at the David Wells Classic in Voelkel Gymnasium at Pomona-Pitzer College, Saturday, Nov. 26.
ACU hosts its first Arizona Christian University Classic in Fultz Gymnasium, Dec. 2-3. In Friday, Dec. 2 action, Rocky Mountain College (Mont.) meets Johnson and Wales University (Colo.) at 5 p.m., and ACU takes on California State University-Maritime at 7 p.m., in the second game of a doubleheader. In Saturday, Dec. 3 action, Rocky Mountain takes on CSU- Maritime at 2 p.m., and Arizona Christian takes on Johnson and Wales at 4 p.m.
Liscum, who now ranks first in scoring (25.5) and fourth in free throw percentage (.925) among all of the NAIA Division II schools, made 10 of her 22 field goals, 5 of her 11 three-point field goal attempts and 10 of her 12 free throws for 35 points, including 20 points and one three- pointer in the second half, and also contributed 6 rebounds, 3 steals and one blocked shot. She has scored 29 or more points in five of ACU's eight games this season, including 64 points with 10 three-pointers and 14 rebounds in ACU's two games this weekend in southern California.
However, the remainder of the Firestorm squad made just 8 of their 40 field goal attempts, and Claremont's reserves outscored ACU's, 44-14. Freshman forward Sarah Beth Hock (Gilbert, Ariz./Perry H.S.) and senior guard Anne Munsil (Scottsdale, Ariz./Scottsdale Christian Academy) accounted for 7 points and 3 rebounds each, and Hock had 2 steals. Junior guard Jessica Largo (Gallup, N.M./Rehoboth Christian School) added 6 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, one blocked shot and one steal, and freshman center Jamie Heath (Phoenix, Ariz./Thunderbird H.S.) contributed 7 points, one three-pointer and 2 steals. Senior guard Elizabeth Inscore (Dayville, Ore./Dayville H.S.) added 4 points, all on free throws, and 3 rebounds.
Senior guard Kalika Tullock led five Claremont in double figures with 21 points on 8 of 9 shots and 5 of 5 throws and 6 rebounds, and junior forward Frannie Hemmelgarn finished with 11 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists and one steal. Freshman guard Kimberly Scamman finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals and made 8 of her 10 free throw attempts, and sophomore guard Madeline Barnes contributed 11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. 6- foot 2 freshman reserve center Jennifer Sitton scored 10 points and grabbed 3 rebounds.
ACU shot .290 from the field (18-62) for the game, made 8 of 32 three-pointers (.250) and 22 of 27 free throws (.815), committed just 14 turnovers and stole the ball from CMS nine times. Claremont, which led 21-11 in offensive rebounds, shot .471 from the field (33-70), made just 2 of 9 three-pointers (.222) and 18 of 23 free throws (.783), committed 16 turnovers and stole the ball nine times.
Claremont began the game with a 24-3 run in the first 8:15 and led 29-11 with 8:40 left, its biggest lead of the first half. CMS led 42-28 at halftime. In the second half, ACU sliced the deficit to seven points, 46-39, with 15:27 left in the game, as Liscum scored eight points and Munsil hit a three-pointer. Claremont rebuilt its lead to 19 points, 60-41, with 14-2 run over the next four minutes and later led by 23 points, 75-52, with 4:36 left.
