Benning obliterates Keesler 93-50

FORT BENNING, Ga., (Feb. 4, 2015) -- Fort Benning's women's post basketball team gave Keesler Air Force Base's women's basketball team a run for their money Jan. 31 at Smith Fitness Center.

Benning defeat Keesler, a team based in Mississippi, 93-50.

Regardless of the score, Andresa Brown, Benning's head coach, said the game was competitive until the very last second.

"It's not like they just laid down and said 'OK we give up,'" she said. "Even in the last 15 to 20 seconds, they were still playing really hard ball."

Five minutes into the first half, Benning's Britney White, who had a game-high 31 points, went on a 9-point scoring rampage that was halted by a Keesler timeout leaving Benning in the lead to 19-6.

Brown said White's aggressive playing, applying defensive pressure to get steals and quickness is what set her up for scoring success.

With less than seven minutes left in the half, Benning took advantage of Keesler's offensive board struggles and produced two consecutive six-point runs, holding Keesler to three more points by halftime and extending Benning's lead to 48-21.

"They were not always putting themselves in the best rebounding position," Brown said. "We had a couple of girls who were able to out jump them (and) we were going aggressively to the boards. To an extent, the other team would go aggressive sometimes, but not consistently."

She said something her team still needs to focus on is boxing out.

"We tend to try to out jump the other team whereas ... if we would just box them out, they wouldn't have the opportunity to try and get the ball," Brown said.

Off and on in the second half, the teams matched basket for basket as Benning maneuvered their way to being 30 points ahead of Keesler at 68-38 with 7:50 left in the game.

Benning managed to squeeze out a 10-point run, extending their lead to 86-42 before additional buckets were cashed in by both teams and ended the game with Benning on top 93-50.

In a previous game against Keesler, Benning pulled out a win by sinking a basket at the buzzer, Brown said. Because of this, she didn't expect to beat them by that much.

Due to having to revamp the team, she said, this game had almost everything to do with proving something to themselves and a little bit to do with showing Keesler they are more than "buzzer beaters," she said.

Brown said Keesler came in prepared and had adjusted to a play they normally run.

"We didn't play selfish ball today," Brown said.

The players didn't gripe or care about who it was who was shooting, she said.

"They were looking at the fact that that's my teammate and they're open," Brown said. "They looked at the ultimate goal for the end, which was to come away with the win. The way we run our offense, anybody on that floor can score. They understand we need everybody to be successful."

With being so far ahead, she said this game was a test to see if they would break down or keep focus.

"I think it's better for them to stay humble and keep that lead ... decreasing dissension you can have amongst the team," Brown said. "I was happy to see they kept their focus."

Keesler 50, Benning 93

Keesler (50)

Meekins (13), Smith (11), Goss (10), Covington (6), Brown (6), Daniel (2), Johnson (2)

Benning (93)

White (31), Patterson (18), Jackson (17), Gaitors (10), Brown (9), Smith (6), Battle (2)