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Post by ClayLive on Nov 9, 2011 17:05:37 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Gray, Burchell enter senior season as Lady Eagles
Alice Lloyd Press Release
 Last season, the Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles were picked in the pre-season to finish near the bottom of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. However, under the leadership of first–year Coach John Mills, they shocked the entire league by finishing as conference runner-up and advancing to the KIAC Tournament Championship game before falling to top ranked Indiana University-Southeast. This year’s edition has hopes of advancing one step further and reaching the elusive NAIA National Championship, held this year in Sioux City, Iowa. Starters Whitney Frazier, Nicole Lutes, and Chelsee Jarrell are gone from last year’s squad; but, after returning two key starters, several important role players, and an excellent recruiting class, Mills and his club will not sneak up on anyone this season. The key returning players include senior forward Gemma Gray (Manchester) and sophomore forward Ariel Nickell. Gray had a solid junior season as she finished the year averaging 11.6 points per game while connecting on 45% from the field, 45% from downtown, and 76% from the charity stripe. She also was second on the team in rebounding, hauling down 4.6 per contest. She will definitely be counted on for leadership this year. Nickell (Tazwell, TN) had a remarkable freshman season, finishing among the conference’s leaders in numerous categories. These include: points per game (16.3), rebounds (8.4), and field goal percentage (53.2). She also led her club with 48 steals. She was the only freshman named to the All-Conference squad last season and has improved her game over the summer. Senior sharpshooter Bailey Gabbard (Knoxville, TN) returns from an injury shortened season ready to provide her trademark long–range bombing. Despite missing 14 of the 29 games with a major ankle injury, she still finished third on the squad in 3–point baskets made and averaged 7.8 points per game. Fellow seniors Sarah Burchell (Manchester) and Nikki Durman (Lexington) both return from groundbreaking seasons. After the injury to Gabbard, Burchell immensely stepped up her role in the backcourt, and she was a vital cog in the season–ending run. Durman was a force on the boards, using her size, strength, and defensive ability to contribute important minutes off the bench. Sophomore Courtney Crowder (Cumberland Gap, TN) earned minutes with her hustle and defensive grit, while fellow sophomore Shannon Bays (Whitesburg) has demonstrated a good shooting touch and hustle of her own. Both will vie for minutes this season, as well. Sophomore transfer Laken Gilliam (Church Hill, TN) is a strong inside presence and is expected to provide instant offensive help in the middle. Coach Mills is really excited about the large crop of freshman he was able to bring to Caney Creek, and he expects big things from his new recruits. The freshmen include: Chelsea Brown (Frankfort), Lacinda Hack (Frankfort), Taylor Hott (Thelma), Andrea House (London), Carla McDaniel (Sneedville, TN), Misti Minix (Salyersville), LeeAnna Moses (Williamsburg), Leanne Mullins(Saltlick), ShaLeigh Roaden (Corbin), and Hayley Smith (Corbin). “I’m really excited about the group I’m coaching this year,” said Mills. “I believe they have great potential to be very competitive in our conference. Our schedule is going to be challenging with 12 games against teams considered among their league’s best.” Mills added, “It’s great that we are viewed and talked about with these fine opponents, and this year’s schedule will show us just where our program stands among the top–level teams.”
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Post by ClayLive on Nov 9, 2011 17:24:44 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Gemma Gray has 12 points in Season Opening Loss
Alice Lloyd Press Release
Sophomore forward Ariel Nickell tossed in 21 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, but the Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles dropped a disappointing 80-71 decision to the visiting Kentucky Christian University Lady Knights. The contest was played at the Grady Nutt Athletic Center on November 1st. Kentucky Christian, who has dominated the NCCAA Women’s Division by winning the National Championship 5 consecutive seasons and an incredible 8 out of the last 9, showed from the onset why they are the heavy favorite to win it all again this year. The first half was nip and tuck. However, with Knight guard Tanya Bowens tossing in 12 first half points, KCU pulled ahead 36-34 at the break. Kentucky Christian slowly extended their lead to 8 points before the Eagles fought back to cut the deficit to 2 with enough time remaining for a comeback. Unfortunately, the Knights, who shot a blistering 60% from the floor in the second half, went on a 12-4 run and put the contest out of reach. On the night, KCU outshot the Eagles 53% to 43%, and also won the battle of the boards (36-31). After the matchup, Lady Eagle Coach John Mills said, “Tonight’s game against Kentucky Christian University was a big test for our team. They are well coached and very seasoned. We played well in spots, but the game is forty minutes, not twenty-eight minutes long. My role as coach is to get the other twelve minutes out of my players, and I do not feel that I had them ready tonight.” Mills added, “We played hard and gave a good effort. However, when you play against a powerful program like KCU, you can’t afford any bad stretches. We will keep our heads up, get back to the gym, and continue working hard.” For ALC (0-1), in addition to Nickell (Tazwell, TN–Clairborne High), senior forward Nicole Durman (Lexington–Tates Creek High) came off the bench to toss in 13 points and pull down 6 rebounds. Fellow senior Gemma Gray (Manchester–Clay Co. High) chipped in with 12. For the Knights (1-0), the backcourt of Bowen and Autumn Carter led the victors with 20 and 19 points, respectively.
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Post by ClayLive on Nov 9, 2011 23:02:15 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Lady Eagles Lose to UPike
Alice Lloyd Press Release
The Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles shot a frigid 31% from the floor and fell to the visiting Pikeville Lady Bears 78-53. In the first half, the game remained tight as ALC sophomore Ariel Nickell tossed in 12 early points. At intermission, Pikeville had eased out to a 34-28 lead. In the second half, the Eagles went stone cold, and Pikeville took advantage of ALC’s inability to produce offensively. Sparked by forward Whitney Jackson, the Bears put the contest out of reach. For ALC (0-3), Nickell led the way with a game–high 24 points and 6 rebounds. Freshman Taylor Hott displayed a ton of hustle, accumulating 13 points and 5 rebounds. Jackson led the Bears (1-1) with 22. Alice Lloyd returns to the hardwood this weekend as they travel to Athens, Tennessee to participate in the Tennessee Wesleyan Classic. Tip-off time will be announced.
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Post by Press Release on Nov 14, 2011 23:08:11 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Lady Eagles Suffer Road Losses
Alice Lloyd Press Release
Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles Head Coach John Mills stated at the beginning of the season that he would give his girls a difficult pre-conference schedule to prepare them for KIAC play. Mills has definitely challenged his young squad so far, and this past weekend, his club traveled to Athens, Tennessee to play in the demanding Tennessee Wesleyan College Classic. Following are recaps of both games.
ALC 52 Tennessee Wesleyan 62
Alice Lloyd opened up play against the NAIA’s 9th–ranked team. The Lady Eagles battled the Bulldogs hard before falling by 10 points. In the opening half, the hosts held ALC to only 28% shooting as they took a 29-19 lead into the locker room. In the second half, the Eagles clawed their way back into the game. Sparked by senior Gemma Gray (Clay Co.), Alice Lloyd tied the game at 50 with just 2:00 remaining. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs hit a bucket on their next possession. Following an ALC turnover, Wesleyan drained a huge three–point basket and hit their free throws to keep the visitors at bay. For ALC (0-4), Gray tossed in a game–high 18 points on 8-16 shooting. Sophomore Ariel Nickell (Tazwell, VA) added 14 points and a team high 7 rebounds. Freshman Taylor Hott (Betsy Layne) chipped in 10. Point guard Sara Burchell (Clay Co) led the team with 9 rebounds. The Bulldogs (2-1) were paced by Heather Gibson with 15 points. On the night, neither team shot well as ALC connected on 34.5% while TWC connected on 36%. The victors won the battle of the boards 40-28.
 Gemma Gray
ALC 60 Union Bulldogs 75
Alice Lloyd sophomore Ariel Nickell tossed in 26 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Lady Eagles fell to Union College 75-60 in the Tennessee Wesleyan Classic Saturday afternoon. In the first half, UC hit 10-36 field goals to ALC’s 8-25. However, seven of Union’s buckets were three–point goals compared to the Lady Eagles who misfired on all eight of their attempts. Consequently, Union led 33-23 at intermission. In the second half, Alice Lloyd’s Nickell and Gemma Gray fought to keep the game close. However, Union sank 17-19 second half free throws to prevent the Eagles from making the comeback. For Alice Lloyd (0-5) Nickell led all scorers with 26 points. Gray had her second consecutive solid game as she tossed in 18 points and pulled down 7 rebounds. Lady Eagle freshman Carla McDaniel (Sneedville, TN — Hancock County High) made a nice showing as she ripped down a game high 10 rebounds. Union (1-1) was led by 25 points from Kara Pile.
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Post by Press Release on Nov 17, 2011 6:22:39 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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 #20 Sarah Burchell, (right) Gemma Gray
Bulldogs Defeat Lady Eagles
6’1 center Laura Walters tossed in 22 points to lead the visiting Union College Bulldogs to a 97-64 victory over Alice Lloyd last night. In the first half, the Lady Eagles hung tight. Sparked by sophomore forward Ariel Nickell’s 15 points, they kept the game within striking distance. Around the 8:00 mark, Union suddenly caught fire from long range. The Bulldogs hit 8-15 from downtown in the first half. When the buzzer sounded for intermission, Union’s lead had grown to 20 points (53-33). Union came out of the gate determined to give ALC no hope of a comeback. They scored 7 of the first 10 points to quickly extend their lead. The Lady Eagles fought hard but were never able to make a serious threat again. For Alice Lloyd (0-6), Nickell and senior guard Gemma Gray were the only two players to reach double figures. Nickell racked up 18 points and added a team–high 6 rebounds while Gray ended up with 11. Senior Bailey Gabbard chipped in with 9. Walters led Union (2-1) with game highs of 22 points and 8 rebounds. Union only outshot ALC from the field 50% to 49%, but the Bulldogs had a major advantage as they hit twelve bombs to ALC’s six.
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Post by Press Release on Nov 21, 2011 16:50:53 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Lady Eagles Play in Berea Classic
The Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles, under the guidance of Coach John Mills, journeyed to Berea over the weekend to participate in the Berea Classic. Following are recaps of each matchup.
 Gemma Gray
November 18: ALC 58 Milligan Buffaloes 68
The Lady Eagles opened up action on Friday against Milligan College. ALC is currently playing without senior center Nikki Durman who suffered an attack of appendicitis and is out indefinitely. They were also playing without starting guard Taylor Hott who was forced to miss both games this weekend due to a family emergency. In addition, leading scorer Ariel Nickell was playing with a leg injury and was regulated to only spot minutes. In her absence, Coach Mills went to his bench and called on freshman forward Hayley Smith. The Corbin native provided a huge spark as she knocked in several nice buckets. When the buzzer sounded at intermission, the Buffaloes led 34-28. In the second half, the game was nip and tuck until the final horn. ALC senior Gemma Gray kept her team close until the last second, but Milligan made just enough plays to maintain their lead. For Alice Lloyd, Smith showed fine potential as she recorded a double-double with game highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Gray also played well, dropping in 16 points. For Milligan (2-4) Alisha Mainer led the way with 16. The Eagles kept the game close despite shooting only 30% from the field. Milligan connected on 37%.
November 19: ALC 65 Union Bulldogs 83
Due to an adjustment in the schedule, the second day of the Berea Classic saw ALC pitted against Union for the third time in seven days. In the first half, backed by the return of Ariel Nickell, the Eagles shot well and were tied with 4:00 remaining. The Bulldogs then closed the half on a run to take a 43-31 lead into the locker room. In the second half, Union slowly increased their lead. The Eagles battled until the very end, but the Bulldogs pulled out the win. For ALC (0-8), Nickell played a fine game as the sophomore led all scorers with 29 points. She connected on 13-21 from the field and 3-5 free throws. She also pulled down a team–high 9 rebounds. Also finishing in double figures was Gemma Gray with 11. For UC (4-1), Lindsey Walters tossed in 20 points and had a game–high 12 rebounds. For the game, the Lady Eagles shot well, hitting 50% from the field compared to Milligan’s 46%. One difference in the game was at the free throw line where Milligan outscored ALC 15-7, but the Eagles did not shoot a free throw for the first thirty-two minutes of the game.
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Post by ClayLive on Nov 28, 2011 21:13:27 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Lady Eagles Come Up Short to Milligan
Alice Lloyd Press Release
 The Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles hosted the Milligan College Lady Buffaloes in a matchup played last night at the Grady Nutt Athletic Center. In a game that was tight for the first seventeen minutes, the visitors pulled away in the second half to win 87-68. In the opening stanza, sparked by their 1-2 punch of Ariel Nickell and Gemma Gray, ALC played well, battling the Buffaloes bucket for bucket. The visitors then closed the half on a 16-6 run to take a 10 point lead (43-33) into the locker room. In the second half, the hosts were dealt a huge blow when Nickell reaggravated a leg injury on the opening play of the half and was forced to the sideline for the remainder of the night. With their leading scorer and rebounder out of the game, the tide quickly turned in favor of the visitors. Milligan slowly increased their lead, which they maintained until the final buzzer. For ALC (0-9), the senior Gray led all scorers with 26 points. Fiery junior Nickell contributed 11 points and a team high 7 rebounds, but all of her totals came in the first half. Freshman Misti Minix added 9 points and 4 rebounds. Senior Sara Burchell had a team high 4 assists. Milligan (4-4) was led by Dorian Freeman with 18 points. On the night, Milligan outshot ALC 51% (33-65) to 36% (23-64) and won the battle of the glass 53-32.
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Post by Press Release on Nov 30, 2011 20:39:19 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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ALC Lady Eagles Fight Hard But Fall to UPike
Alice Lloyd Press Release
Alice Lloyd College sophomore sensation Ariel Nickell poured in 23 points and added 8 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as the visiting Lady Eagles fell to the University of Pikeville Lady Bears 80-70 Tuesday night. In the first half, UPike came out of the gates determined to blow the visitors out of the gym. Sparked by guard Christin Haney, Pikeville jumped ahead 9-0 in the first three minutes. When center Whitney Jackson sank a shot in the paint at 7:36, the lead was twelve (26-14). Rather than fold, ALC went on a huge run. Sparked by Nickell, Gemma Gray and Bailey Gabbard, Alice Lloyd closed the half on a 23-7 run. At intermission, the Eagles led 37-33. In the second half, Lady Eagles freshman forward Haley Smith scored 7 points in the first 2:32. Her last basket gave ALC their largest lead of the night at nine (44-35). The Lady Bears than fought back to tie the game (48-48) on a Jackson drive with 13:38 remaining. UPike then proceeded to build their lead to six before ALC reduced the deficit back to two (67-65) on Nickell’s charity tosses with just 3:40 remaining. Unfortunately, Pikeville closed the game on a 13-5 run to pull out the win. For ALC (0-10), Nickell’s 23 led the way. Smith tossed in 11, while Gray chipped in with 10 points and 8 rebounds. Pikeville (2-5) was led by Jackson with 23.
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Post by Press Release on Dec 5, 2011 17:52:05 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Gemma Gray scores 21 against Rochester College
The Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles journeyed to Wilmore to play two matchups in the Asbury University Classic over the weekend. Below are recaps of each game.
ALC 73 Kentucky Christian Knights 79
The Lady Eagles opened up play on Friday against the undefeated Kentucky Christian Lady Knights, the nation’s top ranked NCCAA squad. Alice Lloyd battled to the very end before falling 79-73. In the first half, KCU rode the play of their guards Autumn Carter and Tara Weddle to take a 36-28 lead after twenty minutes of play. In the second half, ALC’s dynamic duo of Ariel Nickell and Gemma Gray led the Eagles back to tie the score early, and both clubs fought hard until the last horn sounded. The Knight managed to knock down 9-11 free throws in the half to preserve the win. For ALC, Nickell led all scorers with 24 points. She also added a game–high 9 rebounds. Gray was the games second highest scorer as she finished with 19. This included her hitting 5-9 from behind the arc. Freshman Haley Smith chipped in with 9 points and 4 rebounds. Carter and Weddle led the Knights (9-0) with 18 and 17 points, respectively.
ALC 66 Rochester College 75
The Lady Eagles opened up play on Saturday against Rochester College (Rochester Hills, Michigan). Alice Lloyd scrapped to the final buzzer before being handed a 75-66 setback. In the opening stanza, Rochester shot just under 50% as they slipped out to a 35-30 advantage at intermission. The second half featured the Eagles fighting their opponent to the wire for the third straight game only to see their foe ice the contest from the free throw stripe. For ALC, Gemma Gray led all scorers with 21 points, which included her hitting 4-7 from behind the arc. She added 4 rebounds, as well. Ariel Nickell finished with 14 points, and once again led all rebounders with 9. Sophomore Courtney Crowder chipped in with 9 points. Elizabeth Stockwell paced Rochester (7-5) with 20 points.
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Post by Press Release on Dec 8, 2011 5:33:06 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Late Game Surge Lifts Lady Eagles to Victory
The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles made all the clutch plays in the last five minutes and earned an impressive 56-51 come from behind victory over the University of Virginia-Wise Cavaliers last night. The game was played at the Grady Nutt Athletic Center. In the first half, ALC came out solid on the defensive end, holding UV-Wise to 32% shooting. On offense, Lady Eagles forward Ariel Nickell tossed in 10 points to boost Alice Lloyd to a 32-25 lead at intermission. In the second half, both clubs came out cold, which allowed the Cavaliers to keep the game close. ALC then went for almost 8 minutes without a field goal and UV-Wise took full advantage. Sparked by their leading scorers Chelsea Cluesman and Amber Carter, UV-Wise pulled ahead 49-43 with only 5:00 remaining and had the Lady Eagles reeling. With the game seemingly lost, Alice Lloyd responded. Eagles senior Gemma Gray first connected on a jumper in the paint. After two free throws by the Cavaliers, Alice Lloyd’s Nickell hit a tough leaner in the paint and was fouled. She completed the three–point play to cut the score to 51-48 with 4:33 remaining. ALC then held on the defensive end and got the ball back. On their next possession, freshman Hayley Smith connected on a short jumper to make the score 51-50 at the 3:35 mark. The Lady Eagles then forced a turnover and got the ball once more. After working for a good shot, Nickell ended up with the ball and swished a beautiful turnaround jumper to give Alice Lloyd a one point lead at 52-51 with 2:55 left in the game. Both clubs went scoreless for the next two minutes as each played tough defense. With UV-Wise in possession of the ball, ALC’s Nickell came up with a huge steal with 31 seconds left. Forced to foul, the Cavaliers put Gray on the line. The senior coolly swished both tosses to make the score 54-51 with 21.1 left on the clock. After calling a timeout, UV-Wise’s Carter drove to the hoop looking for a quick shot. Her contested jumper bounced off the rim and was corralled by Gray. She sank both free throws to set the final score in favor of the hosts. For ALC (1-12) Nickell led all scorers with 17 points. She also ripped down a game high 12 rebounds to complete the double-double. Gray stepped up as well as the guard was close behind with 14 crucial points. She also dished off a game high 4 assists. Senior Sara Burchell played a solid all–around game as the scrappy guard added 7 points and 4 huge steals. Freshman Hayley Smith contributed 7 points and 4 rebounds of her own. After the game, victorious coach John Mills said, “This was a quality win against a very solid opponent. I was pleased with the way Ariel and Gemma stepped up in the last 5 minutes. They put the team on their backs and gave us a huge boost. Also, their effort inspired the other girls, as well. We forced Wise into several big turnovers during that time, and our entire team made huge plays when they were most needed.” Mills was also able to give senior Nikki Durman her first home action in over a month. The center returned to the roster in spot minutes after missing 8 consecutive games due to a severe case of appendicitis. For UV-Wise (2-9) Cluesman and Carter each tossed in 12 points.
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Post by Press Release on Dec 14, 2011 17:48:13 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Lady Eagles Battle Top–Ranked Kentucky Christian
The Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles traveled to Grayson to play Kentucky Christian University, the nation’s top ranked NCCAA team, on Friday. ALC fell woefully behind in the first half, but battled back in the final half before finally succumbing 61-51. In the opening half, the hosts jumped out of the gates strong and took an early lead. Alice Lloyd hurt themselves with poor shooting on offense and breakdowns on defense. Consequently, they trailed 37-18 at the break. Playing the undefeated Knights on their home floor and trailing by a substantial margin, most teams would have given up. To the team’s credit, ALC refused to roll over and began to atone for their poor first half with solid defense and better offense in the last stanza. Sparked by forwards Ariel Nickell and Hayley Smith, the Lady Eagles scrapped their way back into contention as they slowly ate into the huge lead. When ALC’S Nickell connected on a contested jumper in the paint with 4:00 remaining, the deficit was incredibly just four (51-47). Unfortunately for Alice Lloyd, the comeback fell a little short. KCU regrouped and showed their championship mentality as they got a huge bucket on their next possession. The exhausted Lady Eagles could get no closer. For ALC (1-13), Nickell led all scorers as the smooth–shooting sophomore tossed in a game high 22 points. She also completed a double-double, adding 12 rebounds. Smith impressed as well, as the freshman finished the night with 15 points and 8 rebounds. Sophomore Courtney Crowder led all players with 5 assists. For KCU (13-0) Tanya Bowens led four players in double figures by tossing in 14. The difference in the game was rebounding, an area that ALC has been very successful in as of late. On this night, however, the hosts won the battle of the boards 54-36.
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Post by Press Release on Dec 19, 2011 20:54:26 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Gemma Gray leads Lady Eagles with 23 points in loss to Cougars
The Mount Vernon Nazarene University Cougars Women’s Basketball team withstood a 16-2 first half run, and then answered every challenge in the second half to hold on for a 72-65 victory over the scrappy Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles on Saturday afternoon. The visitors from Mount Vernon built an early 14-5 lead over the first seven minutes of action, but the Lady Eagles responded with a 16-2 run of their own over the next four minutes to go in front 21-16 with nine minutes left in the first half. Alice Lloyd held a 32-27 lead with just under three minutes remaining before the Cougars went on a 7-0 run to close out the half. Mt. Vernon took a 34-32 advantage into the locker room. After ALC forward Ariel Nickell tied the game with a basket to start the second half, the Lady Cougars used a 13-4 run to build a 47-38 advantage with 16:00 to go. The Lady Eagles refused to fold. Over the next ten minutes, they methodically closed the gap and reduced it to just three (62-59) following a trey by Gemma Gray with 5:59 remaining. Unfortunately, eight straight points by Mount Vernon gave the Lady Cougars their biggest lead of the game at 70-59 with less than three minutes on the clock, and ALC ran out of time. For Alice Lloyd (1-14), Gray paced the team with 23 points, while Nickell added 17 points before fouling out midway through the second half. Her departure clearly hurt the hosts. Carla McDaniel added a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Sierra Fletcher led the Lady Cougars (7-3) with 20 points and 6 assists. On the night, Mount Vernon shot 45.3 percent from the field (24-for-53), 30.4 percent from 3-point range (7-for-23), and 60.7 percent from the free throw line (17-for-28). The Lady Eagles shot 40.4 percent from the field (21-for-52), 21.4 percent from 3-point range (3-for-14), and 76.9 percent from the free throw line.
 Gemma Gray
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Post by Press Release on Dec 22, 2011 9:26:23 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Lady Eagles Defeat Ohio Christian
Alice Lloyd Press Release
Senior guard Gemma Gray and sophomore forward Ariel Nickell combined for 41 points to lead the Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles to a 76-66 victory over visiting Ohio Christian University yesterday. In the opening half, both teams played evenly as neither side could grab any sort of advantage over the other. Consequently, at halftime the score was knotted at 34 apiece. In the second half, the Eagles began to establish themselves with a fine display of teamwork. On the offensive end, Gray and Nickell provided their usual offensive punch. Toss in senior Sara Burchell’s floor game, coupled with a total team defensive effort, and the hosts were able to pull away over the final 20 minutes and earn the decisive victory. For the victorious Eagles (2-14), Gray and Nickell were their usual dazzling selves on the offensive end as they provided 21 and 20 points, respectively. On defense, both stars really shone as Gray recorded an impressive 7 steals, while Nickell stuffed the stat sheet by adding 7 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists. Sophomore guard Courtney Crowder chipped in with 9 points, 4 steals, and 3 assists, while reserve freshman forward Chelsea Brown came off the bench to provide a boost with 9 important points. Burchell led the way with 8 big assists. With the loss, the Trailblazers fall to 8-7 on the season. Alice Lloyd did receive some tough luck as freshman forward Hayley Smith, who has been providing excellent play, was placed on the disabled list after severely breaking her finger during practice on Friday. Eagles’ Coach John Mills hopes she will be cleared to return to the hardwood second semester, but no timetable for her return is known as of today. More gloomy news came when sophomore center Laken Gilliam suffered what might be a torn ACL early in the Ohio Christian contest. If this prognosis proves to be true, then Gilliam may be lost for the remainder of the season. After the game, Coach Mills commented, “I am very pleased with our effort tonight, and I feel that this may be our most complete game this season. We forced 25 turnovers on defense, and, while on offense, recorded 21 assists to just 13 turnovers.” Mills added, “Our girls will now get a much deserved rest. We have suffered many injuries already this season, and I am in hopes that we can be full strength or as close to it as possible for the stretch run.”
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Post by Press Release on Dec 26, 2011 16:28:46 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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ALC Basketball Players among Best in Nation
Alice Lloyd Press Release
Gemma Gray
The NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) and the USCAA (United States Collegiate Athletic Association) have posted weekly statistical ratings, and Alice Lloyd College had several basketball players ranked among the nation’s elite for the third week of December. On the Women’s side, sophomore Ariel Nickell (Tazwell, VA, Clairborne High) is 4th in the country in total points scored at 309. This is good enough for 12th in the country in scoring average (19.3 ppg). It is 6th nationally in the USCAA rankings. She is also 7th in the nation in total rebounds with 136, and is also 14th nationally with an average of 6.3 defensive rebounds per outing. Senior Gemma Gray (Manchester, Clay County) is currently 13th in the nation with 256 total points scored and is 14th in total 3–point baskets made with 37. In Men’s Basketball, the team is currently 9th in the nation in blocks averaged per game (4.1), and 15th in total blocks (50). They are also 12th in the nation in both rebounds averaged per game (41) and offensive rebounds per game at 14.8. Individually, sophomore big man Terry Muse (Somerset, Pulaski Southwestern) is ranked 1st in the nation with an average of 3.25 blocks per outing and is also 2nd in total blocks with 37. This total is also 1st nationally in the USCAA. Junior Brent Hall (Beaver, June Buchanan High) is 6th in the nation in rebounding, as he is hauling in 10.75 per game. Hall is also averaging 4.58 offensive rebounds per game, which is 3rd in that category. His 128 total rebounds are good enough for 11th nationally. Sophomore Isaac Wilson (Corbin, Corbin High) is ranked 8th in the country in assists, as he is averaging 6 per game. He is 14th overall in total assists with 72. In the USCAA this total is good enough for 1st nationally. Senior Casey Dalton (Nancy, Pulaski Southwestern) is 5th in the nation in 3-point percentage according to USCAA, as he is hitting 48% from behind the arc.
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Post by Press Release on Jan 9, 2012 20:11:34 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
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Lady Eagles Clash with KIAC Powerhouse IU Southeast
Alice Lloyd Press Release
 The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles faced the KIAC’S top ranked team, the Indiana University Southeast Lady Grenadiers on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Eagles played hard and kept the game close for thirty minutes before the visitors went on a massive run to win going away 82-54. The Lady Eagles came into the contest shorthanded. Forwards Haley Smith, Laken Gilliam, and guard Leanne Mullins all have suffered major injuries and were not available to play. In addition, Gemma Gray and her 16 points per game average were not there either. In the opening half, the Grenadiers jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first five minutes. Sparked by forward Ariel Nickell and guard Lacinda Hack off the bench, the hosts steadied themselves and began to fight back. When the halftime buzzer sounded, Alice Lloyd trailed 38-28. In the final stanza, ALC kept up their intensity. When forward Chelsea Brown connected on a drive at 10:00, the deficit was only seven (49-42). At this point IUSE exploded on a 25-7 run over the next 6:30, sparked by forward Tia Wineinger. When the dust settled, Indiana led 74-49, and the game was out of reach. For Alice Lloyd (2-15, 0-1 KIAC), Nickell led the way as she tossed in 17. She also added a team high 7 rebounds. Hack and Brown each chipped in 8 points each. The Lady Grenadiers (13-5, 3-0 KIAC) were led by Wineinger with a game high 21 points.
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Post by Press Release on Jan 11, 2012 18:01:34 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
 Sarah Burchell
Lady Eagles Earn Decisive Road Victory
Alice Lloyd Press Release
Sophomore forward Ariel Nickell poured in 28 points and received excellent support from her teammates as the Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles carved out a 76-66 road victory over Ohio Christian University. In the opening half, Nickell propelled the guests to a quick lead courtesy of some nifty moves in the paint. When the buzzer sounded for intermission, the Lady Eagles’ lead was eight (38-30). In the second half, ALC maintained their cushion as the Trailblazers fought valiantly to overcome the deficit. Having no choice but to foul in the last few minutes, OCU put the Lady Eagles on the line and hoped for some misses. Their strategy backfired as ALC seniors Sara Burchell, Bailey Gabbard, and Nikki Durman combined to swish 10 consecutive free throws over the last few minutes to keep the hosts at bay. For Alice Lloyd (3-15), Nickell led all scorers with 28. She also added 5 rebounds in completing a full night’s work. Rugged center Durman banked in 14 points and hauled down a game-high 7 rebounds in her best game back since returning to the lineup following a severe case of appendicitis. The scrappy duo of Gabbard and Burchell added 10 points each. On the night, the victors shot 45% from the field and 70% from the foul line. Dannyell Butte and Sharonda Jones led the Trailblazers (8-8) with 11 points each.
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Post by Press Release on Jan 17, 2012 18:10:18 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Lady Eagles Claim Big Conference Road Win
Alice Lloyd Press Release
The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles came back from a double-digit deficit in the second half to defeat the Berea College Lady Mountaineers 60-51 in a big conference matchup. The KIAC showdown was held Thursday night at Berea. In the opening half, the Lady Eagles came out of the gate unsteady. The visitors made several unforced turnovers and failed to find their shooting eye. Berea used this to their full advantage, and they quickly sprinted to a ten point lead (17-7) at 11:00. By the six minute mark, the Mountaineers had extended their cushion to twelve (26-14). The one saving grace for ALC in the first stanza was the shooting of senior guard Bailey Gabbard. Gabbard drained three late long range bombs to help Alice Lloyd stay within striking distance. When the buzzer sounded for intermission, Berea’s lead was down to three (28-25). When asked about his clubs first half performance, Lady Eagles Head Coach John Mills replied, “I felt we went out and were never cohesive on either end of the floor. We were playing hard, but were not playing together. We were fortunate to only trail by three.” In the second half, things initially started out just as poorly for the Lady Eagles as they still had difficulty finding their shooting eye. With 14:30 to go, they trailed by ten and BC was looking to put the game on ice for good. Alice Lloyd refused to fold in the tents however, and the ladies slowly reduced the deficit once more to three (45-43) with just 5:00 remaining. At this critical juncture, ALC got a huge boost from freshman Carla McDaniel. The hardnosed forward accounted for seven points and several big offensive rebounds. Inspired by McDaniel’s big effort, the other Lady Eagles stepped up their games as well. Alice Lloyd closed the contest on a massive 17-6 run to earn the come-from-behind victory. ALC (4-15, 1-1 KIAC) was paced by leading scorer Ariel Nickell who tossed in 17 points, including an important 8-10 from the charity stripe. The intense competitor also ripped down a game high 13 rebounds and sparked Alice Lloyd to a huge 47-32 rebounding advantage. Joining Nickell in scoring double figures was Gabbard with 13. McDaniel finished the night with 9 points and 7 rebounds. Sarah Burchell added 6 points. Berea (4-15, 1-3 KIAC) was led by 13 points from guard Katelyn Butler. After the game, a victorious Coach Mills was asked what turned the game around for Alice Lloyd. “We increased our defensive intensity in the last five minutes which led to big buckets on the offensive end,” the Eagles mentor said. “I was also pleased with the play of Carla. She really stepped up for us at crunch time.” The Eagles coach further added, “After coming off a tough conference home loss, we needed to steal one on the road. Anytime you can go on the road in this conference and earn a win, it’s a big thing. I am really glad to see these hard working ladies prove to themselves that they have what it takes to win in a tough environment.” With the win, ALC has now tasted victory for the third time in their past four outings.
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Post by Press Release on Jan 17, 2012 18:19:57 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Nickell Has Career Night in Win over Brescia
Alice Lloyd Press Release
Sophomore forward Ariel Nickell poured in a career-high 36 points to lead the Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles to an 85-67 victory over the Brescia Lady Bearcats on Saturday afternoon. The contest was held in the Grady Nutt Athletic Center. Early in the first half, Alice Lloyd had difficulty finding the basket. The offense produced good looks, but the rim seemed to have a lid on it. After ten minutes of play, ALC trailed 15-12. In need of a spark, Lady Eagles Coach John Mills got what he needed in the form of forward Chelsea Brown. The freshman came off the bench to score ten points over the next eight minutes. In addition, she had several big defensive plays which led to buckets for her teammates. As a result of her hustle, combined with 13 points from Nickell, ALC came back to lead 33-31 at intermission. “We had some excellent shots that didn’t fall in the first half,” said Eagles Coach John Mills. “I told the girls at halftime that they were getting good looks, and if they kept executing the offense and taking what the defense gave them, the shots would start dropping.” Little did Mills realize just how prophetic his words to the squad would be. In the second half, senior guard Bailey Gabbard picked up where Brown left off. Held scoreless in the first half, the sharpshooter broke loose and drained consecutive threes in the opening two minutes to help ALC jump ahead 41-33. Her third bomb of the half put Alice Lloyd up 54-41 at the 11:36 mark. Brescia fought hard behind the play of their outstanding center Olivia Moore. Unfortunately for the Bearcats, they had no answer for ALC’s Nickell who totally dominated the game from that point. The smooth shooting forward poured in 22 second half points on a wide array of shots from all over the floor, helping the hosts put the game out of reach. For ALC (4-15, 2-1 KIAC), Nickell poured in 36 points on 14-25 from the field. She also hit 3-4 from long range. In addition, she added 10 rebounds to give her a double-double. Long range-bomber Gabbard added 16 points on 6-7 second half shooting. Four of her swishes were from behind the arc. ALC’s Brown played the best game of her young career as she tossed in 14 points. Much to the delight of her coach, she completely filled the stat sheet by also adding 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 6 big steals. Sarah Burchell added 5 points. Moore led Brescia (7-12, 0-1 KIAC) with 24 points. After the game, an obviously pleased Mills stated, “I felt that we did an excellent job of distributing the ball. On the night, we had 20 assists to a season low 6 turnovers.” The Eagles’ mentor added, “Overall, I was pleased with our team defense, as well. Brescia has an outstanding club, but we made them work for everything they got.” When asked to assess the performance of his three big scorers, Coach Mills said, “Chelsea gave us a huge lift in the first half on both ends of the floor. Her points really were needed when we had trouble getting anything going on the offensive end. Bailey has the ability to really get on a hot streak. She stepped up big early in the second half from behind the arc. Ariel played exceptional all night. She just has the ability to take over a game at any time.” For the game, ALC shot a respectable 33-67 (48%). However, in the decisive second half, they connected on a blistering 20-29 from the floor (69%). This includes 8-16 (50%) from downtown. They also connected on 18-23 (78%) from the foul line. With the win, the Lady Eagles have now been victorious for the fourth time in their last five outings.
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Post by Press Release on Jan 18, 2012 20:37:40 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Lady Eagles Fall in Non-Conference Game
Alice Lloyd Press Release
The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles traveled to Wise, Virginia to play the University of Virginia-Wise Lady Cavaliers Tuesday night. Hampered by ice-cold shooting, ALC dropped a 77-55 decision. UV Wise, a member of the perennially tough Mid-South Conference, lost 56-51 to the Lady Eagles in Pippa Passes on December 6th. Last night, they came out of the gates looking to exact a measure of revenge on their visitors. Wise took their first lead at the 16:23 mark of the first half. Sparked by the play of Kristen Mullins, they extended their advantage to 34-21 at the break. The Lady Eagles were their own worst enemy as they shot a season low 17.6% in the opening half. In the second half, Alice Lloyd fought to keep the game close behind the offense of forwards Ariel Nickell and Carla McDaniel, but unfortunately, they were never able to mount a serious run. UV-Wise forward Chelsea Cluesman helped her club extend their lead until the horn sounded. For ALC (5-16), Nickell and McDaniel were the only two players to score double figures. Nickell finished with a game high 22, while McDaniel added 12. Wise (4-14) was led by Mullins and Cluesman with 18 and 17 points, respectively.
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Post by Press Release on Jan 23, 2012 21:26:41 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Lady Eagles Drop Road Contest at Midway
Alice Lloyd Press Release
 The Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles traveled to Midway to battle the Midway Eagles on Friday in a big conference matchup. In a game that went down to the wire, the hosts prevailed 73-68. In the opening half, both clubs came out of the gates matching each other shot for shot. When the buzzer sounded signaling intermission, Midway was clinging to a slim lead: 36-35. In the second half, the game remained tight throughout. Sparked by the play of Ariel Nickell and Bailey Gabbard, ALC took a two point lead with just 2:00 remaining on the clock (68-66). Regaining possession of the ball, Midway came back to tie the contest once more on a jumper. On their next possession, ALC missed, and the hosts were able to capitalize once again to retake the lead at 70-68. With under a minute left, Alice Lloyd again failed to make a basket and was forced to foul. Midway then sank some huge late free throws to seal the game in their favor. For ALC (5-17, 2-2 KIAC), Nickell led all scorers with 30 points. She added 8 rebounds, too. Gabbard also shot well and accumulated 18 points. Sara Burchell and Chelsey Brown each distributed 4 assists. Midway (3-16, 2-2 KIAC) was led by Whitney Odom with 20 points.
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Post by Press Release on Jan 26, 2012 21:15:39 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Nickell Leads Lady Eagles Over Top-Rated Asbury
Alice Lloyd Press Release
Alice Lloyd College sophomore forward Ariel Nickell pumped in 18 points and ripped down 16 rebounds to lift the Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles to a convincing 83-74 over the KIAC’s only undefeated club, the Asbury University Eagles, last night. The big conference showdown took place at the Grady Nutt Athletic Center. In the opening half, both squads battled hard. Asbury took their largest lead of the game at 16-11 with 12:09 remaining, but ALC fought back to take a 40-37 lead at intermission. Alice Lloyd opened the second half on a 16-6 run in the first eight minutes, jumping out to a 56-46 lead. AU, showing why they were undefeated in league play, fought back to reduce the deficit to just six (69-63) with 4:00 remaining. On the host’s next possession, Nickell drained a huge jumper from 15 feet. Alice Lloyd then iced the contest by sinking 8 free throws over the last three minutes. For the victorious Eagles (6-17, 3-2 KIAC), in addition to Nickell’s big effort, Coach John Mills saw four other ladies reach double-figure scoring. Freshman Chelsea Brown came off the bench to score 13 points and a record 3 steals, while scrappy senior point guard Sarah Burchell tossed in 12 points and did an excellent job of controlling the game. Sophomore Courtney Crowder also filled the stat sheet as she added 10 points and pulled down 10 rebounds of her own. In addition, she dished out a game high 4 assists. Senior Bailey Gabbard got in on the action by collecting 10 points, including two field goals from behind the arc. Mills also got a nice effort from freshman Carla McDaniel, as she contributed 7 points and 8 rebounds before fouling out. Asbury (11-10, 4-1 KIAC) was led by Trenia Barbee with 18 points. For the game, ALC shot 40% to AU’s 42%. Alice Lloyd hit 24-32 (75%) from the charity stripe while Asbury hit 17 free throws in 31 attempts (54.8%). ALC dominated the all-important board war, however, as they out-rebounded their guests 52-32.
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Post by Press Release on Jan 31, 2012 17:44:34 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Total Team Effort Lifts Lady Eagles Over Brescia
Alice Lloyd Press Release
The Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles traveled to Owensboro Saturday for an important KIAC Conference showdown against the Brescia University Bearcats. In a game that was close throughout, ALC earned a hard fought 72-70 victory. In the opening half, it was the Ariel Nickell show as the sophomore was on fire from the opening tip-off. Nickell was a one-woman wrecking crew as she connected on 8-11 from the field and poured in 23 first half points. However, despite her torrid shooting, the Bearcats only trailed by two (37-35) at intermission. In the second half, the Eagles fought gamely to hold on to their lead. They were ahead 53-49 with 10:35 remaining when disaster struck in the worst possible way. Nickell had the ball going for the bucket when she made a beautiful ball fake. Brescia star center Olivia Moore took the bait and left her feet. When she landed, she inadvertently caught Nickell with a crushing elbow square on the nose. The Eagles’ leading scorer collapsed to the ground in a heap. As the concerned audience looked on, Nickell was taken off the court on a stretcher and rushed to the hospital. Alice Lloyd was now forced to regroup with over ten minutes remaining and the status of their leader uncertain. With the odds against them, ALC responded. The Lady Eagles rallied with a run to increase their lead to 12 over the stunned Bearcats squad. Sparked by Moore, however, Brescia made one last charge. They sliced the deficit to just three (72-69) and got the ball back with 25 seconds looking for the tie. BU was fouled with 6 seconds remaining and connected on the first free throw. They missed the second, but chased down the long offensive rebound at .04 and called timeout. Now, the Bearcats could tie or go for the win with a triple. When they needed to the most, the exhausted Lady Eagles delivered. Alice Lloyd kept the ball from going to Brescia’s ace, Moore. With time running out and their big gun smothered, the Lady Bearcats were forced to rush an off-balanced shot that fell short. With the miss, the win was preserved for Alice Lloyd. For ALC (7-17, 4-2 KIAC), Nickell poured in 28 and pulled down 7 rebounds before leaving the game. She connected on 10-18 from the field, including 4-7 from beyond the arc. As far as her injury, the verdict was a severely broken nose. As of now, it is not clear how long she will be out of commission. Senior guard Bailey Gabbard stepped up her game as she connected on three big bombs and added 13 points. Senior point guard Sarah Burchell played an outstanding game as she scored 9 points. She totally ran the show for the victors and handed out a game-high 8 assists. Courtney Crowder and Carla McDaniel contributed 7 and 6 points, respectively. They were joined by Nikki Durman, Shannon Bayes, Chelsea Brown, and Misti Minix in providing a boatload of hustle. Moore led Brescia (9-15, 2-4) with 24 points. For the game, the Eagles shot 41% compared to Brescia’s 54%. However, the Lady Eagles got 60 attempts to just 35 for the Bearcats. Brescia shot a respectable 75.8% from the charity stripe (25-33). Alice Lloyd made 15 in just 18 attempts for an outstanding 83.3%. Both clubs were identical from beyond the arc, shooting 7-17, while ALC won the rebounding battle 31-27. The Lady Eagles only committed 11 turnovers compared to Brescia’s 16.
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Post by Press Release on Feb 1, 2012 21:08:43 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Poor First Half Shooting Costs Lady Eagles
Alice Lloyd Press Release
The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles were as cold as the Arctic winter in the first half, and it cost them the game as they suffered a 51-46 KIAC Conference loss to the Berea College Lady Mountaineers last night. The game was played at the Grady Nutt Athletic Center. In the opening stanza, ALC jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead in the first four minutes of the contest. Unfortunately for the hosts, their shooting eye would desert them after that. Alice Lloyd would only account for seven more points over the remainder of the half. The ladies had good looks at the hoop, but the ball refused to go in. When the buzzer sounded at intermission, the Eagles trailed by an uncharacteristic score of 23-14. The stats showed the extent of the damage as the Eagles only connected on 6-28 from the floor during the entire half. In the second half, ALC looked to make up lost ground as they shot somewhat better from the field. Sparked by 10 points from senior Bailey Gabbard, Alice Lloyd came back to take their first lead of the half (32-31) with 10:59 remaining. An Ariel Nickell bucket at 7:45 increased the Eagles’ cushion to three (39-36), and the hosts looked poised to finish a remarkable comeback. Unfortunately on their next possession, Berea guard Katelyn Butler would tie the score on a three-point play. The Mountaineers then settled down against the exhausted home club and used this momentum to outscore Alice Lloyd 13-7 to close the game and preserve their win. For ALC (7-18, 4-3 KIAC), Nickell led all scorers with 18 points. However, she did not have her usual dominate shooting performance, as she was forced to play with a face mask to protect her recently broken nose. Despite receiving several hard blows, the sophomore still exhibited her high-octane level of hustle and managed to rip down a game-high 12 rebounds. Gabbard stepped up her game in the second half and swished in 15 points to the cause. Freshman Carla McDaniel played well and contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds to the Eagles’ effort. Berea’s record now stands at 6-17 (3-5 KIAC).
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Post by Press Release on Feb 6, 2012 21:44:55 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Lady Eagles Earn Important Weekend Sweep
Alice Lloyd Press Release
The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles played two important conference games over the weekend as they focus on improving their standing for the upcoming KIAC Conference Tournament. Eagles Coach John Mills had to feel good after seeing his club come out on top in both contests. With the two wins, ALC insures themselves of an opening round home matchup when postseason play begins. Following are recaps of both contests.
FEBRUARY 3 - ALC 100 St. Louis College of Pharmacy 22
In a contest held on a neutral floor at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY, Alice Lloyd scored the first thirty points of the game on their way to a decisive win over the Eutectics. At intermission, their advantage was 42 (54-12). In the second half Coach Mills continued to freely use his bench as his team maintained their torrid shooting against St. Louis, outscoring them 46-10. Gabbard led the Lady Eagles vs STLCOP. For ALC (8-18, 5-3 KIAC), senior Bailey Gabbard connected on 6-10 from behind the arc in scoring a game high 24 points. She was followed closely by sophomores Ariel Nickell and Courtney Crowder with 21 and 18 points, respectively. Senior guard Sarah Burchell dished off a career high 10 assists and tied Nickell by swiping a game high 6 steals. Nickell also added 7 rebounds, another game high. For the game, Alice Lloyd shot a scintillating 61.5% from the field (40-65). This includes 52.9% (9-17) from beyond the arc. For good measure, they also shot 84.6% (11-13) from the charity stripe. With the loss, STLCOP sees their record fall to 0-15 (0-4 KIAC).
FEBRUARY 4 - ALC 66 Midway 59
Nickell was unstoppable vs Midway
It was “the Ariel Nickell show” as the sophomore star poured in 35 points and hauled down 13 rebounds to lead the Eagles to the big home win, thus avenging an earlier loss at Midway earlier this season. In the opening stanza, ALC came out of the gate strong and quickly took the lead. Their lead was 14 (23-9) with 7:52 remaining. Midway fought back, however, and closed the half on a 16-7 run to cut the deficit to five (30-25) at intermission. In the second half, Alice Lloyd rode the play of Nickell to maintain their slim lead. Midway fought to the wire, led by their fine guard Whitney Odom, but they were never able to get closer than four points over the game’s final 10:00. For ALC (9-18, 6-3 KIAC), in addition to Nickell’s big outburst, Coach Mills also received a nice effort from Sarah Burchell who chipped in 9 points, handed out 4 assists, and collected 5 big steals. Freshman Chelsea Brown also played well, as the forward chipped in 8 points. Senior center Nikki Durman (pictured at left), who was recognized before the game along with her family, gave some excellent defensive minutes and also ripped down 7 rebounds of her own. Odom led Midway (4-20, 2-6 KIAC) with 22 points.
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Post by Kentucky News on Feb 8, 2012 21:00:17 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Stellar Play on Senior Night Propels ALC to Victory
Alice Lloyd Press Release
Sarah Burchell
Alice Lloyd College sophomore Ariel Nickell continued her dominating play by scoring 35 points and ripping down 12 rebounds to lead the Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles to a convincing 77-62 victory over a strong University of Cincinnati Clermont Cougars club last night. The contest was played at the Grady Nutt Athletic Center. Before the game, Coach John Mills, his players, and the friends and family in attendance first paid homage to a trio of seniors who were playing their final regular season home game in the Eagles uniform. Sharp-shooting off guard Bailey Gabbard, scrappy point guard Sarah Burchell, and rugged post player Nikki Durman, were each recognized for their accomplishments to both the athletic program and the College. After a tearful reflection period, it was time to get to the business at hand. UC Clermont, a strong member of both the Ohio Collegiate Athletic Conference and the USCAA, came into the game with victories over several KIAC Conference schools. These include league-leading Asbury University (twice), Brescia University (twice), Midway College, and Berea College. Eagles mentor John Mills knew it was critical that his club come out of the gates ready to play. Mills must have given his squad a double dose of Wheaties in the locker room, because they came out determined to play some serious hoops. Nickell and Gabbard opened the action draining one shot after another, as the stunned Clermont club was forced to witness the onslaught. Nickell scored 8 quick points as ALC jumped ahead 13-2 in the opening six minutes. Over the next four minutes, the duo fueled a 13-6 run to increase the lead to eighteen (26-8) at the 10:00 mark. Nickell already had 16 points by this time. Over the remainder of the half, Burchell kept pushing the tempo and finding her buddies for easy hoops. The Eagles closed the half on a 21-12 run to take a surprising twenty-seven point lead (47-20) into the locker room at intermission. At halftime, Nickell, along with seniors Gabbard and Durman, already had accounted for 39 points. After their torrid display of shooting in the opening stanza, Alice Lloyd expectedly cooled off in the last half. The Cougars, determined to show the fans why they have been such an impressive club all season, fought back furiously behind the play of guard Portia Cochrum. UC Clermont fought valiantly and reduced the deficit to fourteen points with 6:00 remaining, but a three by Nickell and a Carla McDaniel hoop quickly pushed the Alice Lloyd lead back to twenty, and the gritty Cougars were finished. For ALC (10-18), Nickell lead all scorers with 35 points. Gabbard, along with freshman McDaniel each added 11. Durman chipped in with 10. Burchell played her typical excellent all-around game as the small guard handed out 5 assists, battled for 6 rebounds, and recorded 3 steals. After the game, a very pleased Coach Mills responded, “Yesterday, we talked in practice about being focused and staying aggressive for longer stretches of the game. We also spoke of the importance of sending out the three seniors on a positive note in their last home regular season game. I was definitely concerned, because we were playing such a dangerous opponent who had proven all season how capable they were.” The Eagles leader added, “We came out of the gate very aggressive on defense, and I could not have asked for a better offensive start than we had. We did come out a little flat in the second half, and UC made the run that I knew would come. However, we responded when we needed to, and I was very pleased with the entire team effort.” UC Clermont (22-12) was led by Cochrum with 22 points. In closing, the victorious Mills added, “If we can put two halves together like the first one we played tonight, I believe the KIAC Conference Tournament will be very interesting.”
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Post by Press Release on Feb 17, 2012 17:20:41 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Lady Eagles Drop Hard Fought Decision at IUSE
Alice Lloyd Press Release
The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles traveled to New Albany, Indiana to battle the defending KIAC conference champion IU Southeast Lady Grenadiers Saturday afternoon. In a contest that went down to the wire, the Eagles dropped a difficult 63-60 decision. In the opening half, the clubs matched each other on the offensive end as they both connected on twelve field goals apiece. IUSE hit 4-9 from behind the arc, however, and led 38-32 at the break. In the second half, the Eagles held the hosts to 7-28 shooting from the field and kept themselves in the game. The contest went down to the final seconds; but, unfortunately, the Grenadiers were able to claw out the important conference win. For ALC (10-19, 6-4 KIAC), sophomore forward Ariel Nickell continued her excellent play as she poured in a game high 25 points and hauled down 12 rebounds. She also added 3 steals on the afternoon. Freshman forward Chelsea Brown came off the bench to add 10 points and grab 9 rebounds of her own, while scrappy senior point guard Sarah Burchell dished off 5 assists and had 5 steals, which were both game highs. IUSE (21-7, 8-2 KIAC) was paced by the trio of Heather Wheat, Ashmere Woods, and Megan Murphy, each of them tossing in 13 points.
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Post by Press Release on Feb 17, 2012 17:52:46 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Lady Eagles End Regular Season at Top-Seeded Asbury
Alice Lloyd Press Release
The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles closed the regular portion of their season last night with a visit to top-seeded Asbury University. In a contest that went down to the wire, the Lady Eagles lost a nail-biter, 88-83. In the first half, Asbury shot well early as they sprinted out to a 10-1 lead by the 15:42 mark. The hosts maintained their cushion over the next five minutes and took their largest lead of 11 (32-21) on a fast break-bucket at 7:11. The Lady Eagles battled back behind the leadership of sophomore Ariel Nickell and senior Bailey Gabbard. Over the remainder of the half, the duo combined for twenty of the next twenty-two ALC points to help the visitors close the half on a 22-12 run. When the buzzer sounded for intermission, the Asbury lead was reduced to just one (44-43). In the second half, Asbury pulled out to a six-point lead (59-53) with 13:59 to go, only to watch ALC go on an 11-4 run over the next four minutes to take their first lead of the game at 64-63. The game remained nip and tuck as time was running out, but Asbury made some big shots in the closing minutes. This clutch-shooting combined with several key free throws helped Asbury pull out the victory. For ALC (10-20, 6-5 KIAC), Nickell (pictured at left) continued her phenomenal play by pouring in 35 points on 10-20 field goals and 13-15 free throws. She also added 12 rebounds and 2 blocks. Gabbard connected on 5-8 from behind the arc and chipped in with 15 points. Sophomore Courtney Crowder and senior Nikki Durman contributed 9 and 8 points, respectively. Senior Sarah Burchell handed out 7 assists. Asbury (17-11, 9-2 KIAC) was led by Laura Carroll with 27 points. The stats show just how closely matched the two clubs were. ALC shot 48% (26-53) to AU’s 46% (34-73) from the floor and shot 85.7 % (24-28) from the charity stripe to Asbury’s 93.3% (14-15). Both squads had 32 rebounds each.
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Post by Press Release on Feb 22, 2012 18:03:51 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Men’s and Women’s Basketball Set for KIAC Tournament
Alice Lloyd Press Release
Brackets for the 2012 KIAC Tournament have been officially posted, and Alice Lloyd College’s Men’s and Women’s Basketball programs have learned their respective fates. Due to their excellent conference play, the Lady Eagles have been seeded #3. The top four seeds in the tournament were awarded an opening round home match-up, so ALC will face a stiff challenge from Midway College at the Grady Nutt Athletic Center on Saturday, February 25th, at 3 PM. Tickets for this all-important game are currently on sale and can be purchased in the Student Services office. The Alice Lloyd College Men’s Basketball team will face a much harder road when they see tournament action. Since the Eagles have been seeded fifth, they must travel to meet Cincinnati Christian University in the opening round on Saturday, February 25th, at 4 PM. The Eagles defeated CCU in the last game of the regular season, so they will have to beat them again in order to move on in the tournament. The KIAC Tournament’s Men’s and Women’s semifinals and finals match-ups will be played at Berea College on February 27th and 28th. Visit kiacsports.com for updates during the tournament.
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Post by Press Release on Feb 28, 2012 19:33:39 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Alice Lloyd Press Release
Sarah Burchell has 8 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals as Alice Lloyd opens postseason with win
Sophomore sensation Ariel Nickell pumped in 23 points and ripped down 17 rebounds to lead the Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles to a convincing 84-56 victory over the Midway College Eagles. The quarterfinal victory was played at the Grady Nutt Athletic Center Saturday afternoon. The two squads had split their two regular season games this season with both winning at home. Midway won 73-68 on January 20th, while ALC returned the favor February 4th, 66-59. By virtue of their third place finish in conference play, Alice Lloyd earned the right to host the tiebreaking matchup. ALC Coach John Mills knew his club needed to step up their defensive effort and limit Midway’s guard penetration to have a chance to pull out the win, and he stressed this with his ladies in practice. Based on his squad’s first half performance, the coach’s chargers proved to be apt listeners. Alice Lloyd came out of the gate on fire as Nickell, Bailey Gabbard, and Courtney Crowder combined for all 16 points in the opening 5:32 to propel the Eagles to a 16-5 lead. The lead reached 16 (21-5) at 13:21 after Sarah Burchell and Gabbard hit back-to-back shots. Midway fought back over the next six minutes. Janel Wilkerson hit a free throw to complete a 12-4 MC run and set the score at 25-17. Once again this game looked as if it would be as tight as the previous two. Mills’ ladies decided that they did not want a third nail-biter and set out to do something about it. Over the last 7:39, ALC tightened their defense and put on an impressive offensive performance. When Nickell swished a three-point bomb just before the halftime buzzer, the Eagles’ offensive blitzkrieg concluded. ALC had closed the half on an 18-0 run and increased their once perilous eight-point lead to twenty-six (43-17). “We really stepped up our defense, which fueled our offense,” said Coach Mills. “That was one of the best defensive performances I have ever had one of my clubs display.” In the second half, the visitors fought to make one last charge, and they opened the half on a 12-4 run in the first three minutes to cut the deficit to 18 (47-29). But Alice Lloyd’s Nickell scored on her team’s next possession, and Midway would get no closer. For ALC (11-20), Nickell (left) led all players with her 23 points and 17 rebounds. Freshman Carla McDaniel played a solid all-around game as she tossed in 13 points, hauled down 7 rebounds, and added 3 steals. Crowder played well with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Gabbard hit three bombs and scored 9 points and added 4 assists, while Sarah Burchell added 8 points, dished off a game high 7 assists, and had 3 steals. Freshman Chelsea Brown chipped in 9 points and added 5 more rebounds to the overall haul. Midway (5-23) was led by Miranda Rone with 17 points. Alice Lloyd won the game in the first half by shooting 53% (17-32) from the floor and holding MC to only 21.9% (7-32). ALC finished the night by connecting on 47.9% (35-73), while Midway finished at 30% (20-66). Alice Lloyd won the rebounding battle 43-34.
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Post by Press Release on Feb 29, 2012 18:12:25 GMT -5
Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles Basketball
Burchell on the court versus the Grenadiers.
Lady Eagles Fall in Conference Semifinals
Alice Lloyd Press Release
The Alice Lloyd Lady Eagles traveled to Berea College to face the Indiana University Southeast Lady Grenadiers on Monday with a berth in the KIAC Conference Championship game awaiting the winner. The three-time defending champions from Indiana broke open a tight contest in the second half to win 81-57. In the opening half, ALC came out of the gates tight and IUS took advantage with several quick buckets. However, sparked by KIAC Player of the Year, Ariel Nickell, the Lady Eagles settled down and roared to a 14-10 lead at the 10:00 mark. The Grenadiers showed their championship mettle as Megan Cureton came off the bench to score 14 first half points and boost her club to a 40-30 lead at intermission. In the second half, Indiana came out determined to put the game out of reach, and they slowly extended their lead. Alice Lloyd fought till the end, but they were unable to make a serious run the rest of the night. For ALC (11-21), Nickell closed out an outstanding season by pumping in 21 points. The sophomore standout also hauled down 10 rebounds. Both were game highs. The lone player joining her in double figures was senior Sarah Burchell. Burchell played a solid last game as she tossed in 13 points and dished off a game high 6 assists. Fellow seniors Bailey Gabbard and Nikki Durman closed out their careers in the Eagle uniform as well. Gabbard finished with 4 points and 2 assists, while Durman added 2 points and 2 rebounds. Freshman Carla McDaniel showed good promise as she scored 9 points and pulled down 5 rebounds. IUS (25-7) had four players finish in double figures. They were led by Cureton with 18. For the night IUS shot 45.8% (27-59) from the field and 65.4% (17-26) from the foul line. They also made an outstanding 43.5% (10-23) of their long range bombs. The Eagles connected on 38.9% (21-54) from the field and 61.1% (11-18) from the charity stripe. They only connected on 33.3% (4-12) from beyond the arc.
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