HOUSTON, Texas – Southeastern Louisiana junior guard Taylin Underwood scored a career-high 45 points to lead the Lady Lions to an 87-71 victory over Houston Baptist in Southland Conference women's basketball action Thursday evening in Sharp Gym.
 
Underwood's performance was one off the single-game school record of 46 points set by Southeastern Athletics Hall of Famer Pam Cook Forrest versus Whitworth College in the 1975-76 season.
 
"It was certainly a special effort tonight by Taylin, especially in the first half, when she just about single-handedly kept us in it on the offensive end," Southeastern head coach Errol Gauff said. "We were much more balanced in the second half and we were able to give her some support. Taylin made some huge shots, but this victory was a total team effort."
 
Southeastern (3-11, 1-2 Southland) snapped an eight-game losing streak and picked up its first win away from home in 2016-17. The Lady Lions forced HBU (3-10, 1-1 Southland) into 24 turnovers on the way to their third win in four meetings with the Huskies.
 
"We played defense as a team tonight and that was the difference," Gauff commented. "Our young ladies all deserve a great deal of credit for the way they competed tonight and executed on both ends of the floor. We're very proud of the effort. We're getting better gradually and I was glad to see our players rewarded for all their hard work with a victory."
 
Underwood, who scored 31 points in the opening half, made 12-of-25 field goal attempts, hit six-of-11 three-point field goals and netted 15-of-16 free throws on the way to her career night. The Livingston, Louisiana native was one of four Lady Lions in double figures, as she was joined by freshman guard Taz Stinson (13 points), freshman guard Charliee Dugas (10 points) and senior forward Chey Stewart (10 points).
 
Stinson also led Southeastern with seven rebounds. Junior guard Bre Warren led the SLU defensive effort with three steals.
 
HBU was led by Lisa Zderadicka, who finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Zderadicka was joined in double figures by Amanda Johnson and Britta Daub, who each scored 10 points apiece off the bench. Veronika Kirienko led the Huskies with six blocked shots.
 
Southeastern took an early lead after a back-and-forth opening quarter that featured six ties and four lead changes. Underwood (17 points) and Zderadicka (11 points) were mired in a shootout in the opening quarter, as the Lady Lions held a 25-21 lead after the first 10 minutes.
 
Underwood hit three three-point field goals in the second quarter and went into halftime with 31 points – four off her previous career high scoring performance of 35 points earlier this season versus Bethune-Cookman. The Lady Lions forced nine second quarter turnovers to stretch their lead to 46-37 at halftime.
 
Southeastern pulled away in the third quarter, as the Lady Lions netted five of 10 three-point field goals in the period. Dugas made two from behind the arc, while Warren, Underwood and sophomore guard Ashailee Brailey each made one as SLU stretched the lead to 72-56 heading into the final period.
 
HBU never seriously threatened in the final period. The Huskies got no closer than 13 in the final 10 minutes and SLU stretched the lead to as many as 18 on the way to their first victory since a 75-63 win over Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 25. It also marked the first road win for the Lady Lions since a 62-57 victory over Florida A&M on Dec. 2, 2015 and their first win away from home over a conference opponent since a 76-59 win at UNO on Feb. 20, 2014.
 
Southeastern will continue its road trip with a 2 p.m. game on Saturday at Lamar. The game will air on ESPN3. Fans can also listen live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the TuneIn Radio app.