HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana junior Taylin Underwood posted a career-high 35 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Lady Lion women's basketball to a 75-63 non-conference victory over Bethune-Cookman Friday afternoon in the University Center.
 
On the way to her first career double-double, Underwood netted eight of the Lady Lions' season-high 13 three-point field goals, as SLU (2-3) won for the second straight time at home. Southeastern also out-rebounded an opponent for the first time this season, finishing with a 37-30 advantage on the boards over the visiting Wildcats (1-5), who lost their fifth straight game.
 
Southeastern also was active on the defensive end, forcing BCU into 26 turnovers, as junior Bre Warren and sophomore Ashailee Brailey had three steals apiece. For first-year head coach Errol Gauff, it was the effort on that end of the floor that most impressed him in the victory.
 
"I was very pleased with our defensive effort today," Gauff commented. "We did a better job rebounding the ball and our players were very active defensively. When we built up the lead in the second quarter, it was primarily because of our energy on defense.
 
"We probably had our best game as far as making the extra pass and finding the open shooter," Gauff added. "As we get better with our ball movement, it will be easier for us to find open lanes and make plays."
 
Underwood fell one short of the single-game school record for three-point field goals made shared by former Lady Lions Ashley Sykes and Chelsea Hix. The Livingston, Louisiana native's 35 points were the most by a Lady Lion since Dacia McGowan scored 35 in an 88-79 overtime loss to Nicholls on Feb. 2, 2005.
 
Underwood was one of two Lady Lions in double figures, as freshman Taz Stinson added a season-high 13 points to go with six rebounds. Nine different Lady Lions scored, as Warren (2-for-7), Brailey (1-for-1), sophomore Baylie Stears (1-for-1) and freshman Courtney Dawsey (1-for-1) each connected from three-point range. Underwood led Southeastern with four assists.
 
A pair of seniors led the Bethune-Cookman attack. Senior Kendra Cooper netted four three-point field goals on the way to a team-high 20 points. Senior Kailyn Williams, a New Orleans native, scored 18 points in the return to her home state.
 
Neither team could get anything going offensively in the opening quarter. The Lady Lions were able to force 15 BCU turnovers in the initial 10 minutes to take an early 14-12 lead.
 
Neither team could get much of an advantage until midway through the second quarter. With the score tied, 20-20, the Lady Lions outscored BCU, 21-11, over the final five minutes of the half. Underwood, Warren, Stears and Dawsey made a combined five three-point field goas in the half-closing rally to send the Lady Lions into the break with a 41-31 lead.
 
A three by Cooper would pull the Wildcats as close as they would get in the second half, cutting the lead to 48-41, with just under four minutes left in the third quarter. Freshman Charliee Dugas answered with a bucket for SLU, then Underwood scored seven straight points to fuel a 9-2 run and put Southeastern up, 57-43, with 1:33 left in the third quarter.
 
Southeastern held a 12-point lead going into the fourth quarter and would grow its advantage to as many as 16 in the final period. BCU got no closer than nine down the stretch, as the Lady Lions were never seriously threatened in the waning minutes.  
 
Friday's game was Southeastern's last at home before it embarks on a four-game road trip. The road swing begins with a 1 p.m. (CST) contest at Colorado on Wednesday, Nov. 30. The game with the Buffaloes can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the TuneIn Radio app.