The Lady Cougars hosted the Kings from Lewis Cass Thursday. In an ugly basketball game the ladies played just well enough to win, 38-28. They shot 45% from the field, had more rebounds (23-19) and played better defense than their guests.

The Kings used a charge in the last two minutes against the Carroll reserves to cut a 19- point lead to 10 by the end of regulation.

Carroll started better against the Kings than they have in recent games, outscoring the guests 14-7 through the first quarter. Cass jumped out early with a 3 and a 2 around a layup by Quinci Eller to take an early 5-2 lead. Two baskets by Carroll, a 3 by Jess Yoder and another 2 from Eller and the Cougars took the lead and never looked back. The second quarter the Cougars turned up the pressure and built a 26-12 halftime lead. Yoder had 14 of her game high 16 points in the first half.

The Cougars started the second half like they would bury the Kings, expanding their lead to 19 points at the quarter break, 35-16. Carroll used defensive pressure to force turnovers and then converted on the offensive end. The Carroll reserves played most of the final period and were outscored 12-3 to bring the final margin to 10 at 38-28.

The scoring column for Carroll was simple, Yoder had 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals; Eller had 11 points and 3 steals; Abby Reinke chipped in 4 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals and Kate Hickner completed the scoring for Carroll with 7 points and 12 deflections.

Vs. Rossville

Jess Yoder continued her hot shooting, scoring 29 against the Hornets in a 55-32 win that gave the Cougars their 14th win against 3 losses. This was the Coaches vs. Cancer game. The host Cougars and the community raised over $5,000 to be used in the fight to cure cancer. More impressive than the win was all the pink on the floor and in the stands.

Carroll opened the game with stingy defense and found the hot hand in Yoder and kept feeding her the ball. The Cougars jumped out 14-2 in the first quarter. The second period was more of the same. Rossville opened with three baskets to cut the lead to 14-8 before Yoder took over again, scoring 12 in the quarter and pushing Carroll’s lead to 32-15 at the half.

Carroll opened the lead to 18 points midway through the third quarter at 39-21 and maintained that margin at the break 41-23. Carroll closed the game by out-scoring the Hornets 14-9 in the 4th period and posted the 55-32 victory.

Leading Carroll in scoring was Yoder with 29 points and 2 steals, Reinke chipped in 10 points, 11 rebounds and 4 steals, Eller added 7 points, 11 assists and 4 rebounds, Hickner had 5 points and 8 deflections and Carly Yoder contributed 4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Carroll is 14-3 for the season. Sectional play begins Tuesday at Fountain Central. Carroll finishes the regular season this week, hosting three games - Tri-County on Tuesday, Culver Academy on Thursday, and Lafayette Central Catholic on Saturday.