GAFFNEY, S.C. – Opening up its 2021-22 South Atlantic Conference schedule, the Limestone University women's basketball team benefited from timely buckets and stellar defensive stands to post a 75-68 win over UVA Wise in its first home game of the season on Wednesday, November 17, at the Timken Center.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Limestone 75, UVA Wise 68
Records: Limestone (3-0, 1-0), UVA Wise (0-3, 0-1)
Location: Timken Center
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Senior guard Quin Byrd (Greenville, S.C.) led all scorers with 19 points to go with five assists
• Graduate guard Reagan McCray (Davie, Fla.) added 17 points, four assists, and two steals
• Sophomore guard Reagan Kargo (Summerfield, N.C.) chipped in 15 points and seven boards
• Senior forward Vonshayla Webb (Travelers Rest, S.C.) tallied eight points and six rebounds
• Junior guard Destiny Jackson (Severn, Md.) posted seven points and pull down nine boards
• Limestone went 28-of-64 (44%) from the field and 7-of-24 (29%) from downtown
• The Cavaliers was 30-of-62 (48%) from the floor but hit just one three-pointer on 14 attempts
• The Saints edged UVA Wise, 37-36, on the glass and held a 16-12 margin in points off turnovers

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
The Highland Cavaliers opened the scoring with a jumper, but a runner from Byrd and a driving layup from Jackson powered a 6-2 spurt to give the Saints a 6-4 edge in the early stages. The back-and-forth would continue over the next couple of minutes with UVA Wise grabbing a 10-9 lead with 4:45 remaining.
 
McCray dialed long distance on the other end to put Limestone on top for good before an inside score by freshman center Madison Clark (Kennesaw, Ga.) made it a 14-10 game with 3:24 left. That margin would hold true the rest of the quarter as a layup by Kargo staked the Blue and Gold to an 18-14 lead after one.
 
Second Quarter
 
UVA Wise made it a one-score contest a few ticks into the second period, but a jumper in the paint by senior Josie Long (Madison, Fla.) and a layup by Webb put the Saints in front, 22-16, about 90 ticks later. The Cavaliers closed the gap to two, but Limestone pulled out to a double-digit lead behind an 8-0 surge.
 
Byrd hit a floater in the lane to start the run before Kargo nailed back-to-back triples to give Limestone a 31-21 cushion midway through the quarter. The Cavs again pulled to within striking distance, but triples from senior Shaniya Caldwell (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Byrd bookended a three-point play by Jackson at the charity stripe to give the Blue and Gold a 40-31 advantage heading into the halftime intermission.
 
Third Quarter
 
The visitors knocked down the first bucket of the second half, but Limestone countered with a 7-0 run to quickly push the margin to 14 with 6:29 left in the third. Byrd scored five of the seven points during that stretch, including hitting one from long distance, while McCray finished off a fast break to make it 47-33.
 
The Cavaliers rattled off six straight points, closing the deficit to eight, but two more buckets by Byrd and an inside move for a score by freshman Kalisha Hill (Saluda, S.C.) gave Limestone a 53-41 cushion with 76 seconds remaining. However, UVA Wise would trim the lead to 53-45 heading into the fourth quarter.     
 
Fourth Quarter
 
McCray tallied five straight points for the Blue and Gold to open the final period, including dropping a long-range bomb, to put the Saints in front, 58-45. The Cavaliers, who were picked to finish third in the SAC Preseason Poll, would not go away quietly though as they clawed to within 58-53 with 6:16 left.
 
Limestone got field goals from Byrd, Webb, and Kargo, but Wise continued to hang around as they trailed by five, 64-59, with two minutes remaining. The Saints managed to hold off the Cavs down the stretch, however, as Jackson hit a jumper from the wing before McCray knocked down four crucial free throws.
 
UVA Wise made it interesting in the final minute, converting a three-point play with 30 ticks left, but Kargo and McCray combined to go 3-for-4 at the line before Webb sealed the 75-68 victory with an inside score.  
 
TURNING POINT
 
In a back-and-forth, narrowly fought contest, Limestone was able to open things up in the second as two straight three-pointers from Kargo capped a 7-0 run for a 10-point lead. The Saints would eventually build that margin to 14 in the third and then held off a late charge by the Cavaliers to pick up their first SAC win.
 
NOTABLES
 

• For the first time since joining the conference, the Saints open the SAC schedule with a win
• Limestone opens the year at 3-0 for the second time in three seasons
• Byrd continues her hot start, averaging 18.3 points per game over the first three contests
• The Saints improve to 4-0 all-time against the Cavaliers
• Wednesday's meeting was the first between the two programs as conference opponents

 
UP NEXT
 
Limestone begins a two-game road trip this weekend when it travels to take on in-state rival Newberry College on Saturday, November 20 at 2 p.m. After playing there twice last season, the Saints are making their fourth consecutive trip to Newberry and the fifth time overall since the 2016 campaign.