COVINGTON – Despite the fact the Versailles girls basketball team – the Division III Associated Press state poll champion – was facing 19th seed Dixie – or maybe because of it – Lady Tigers coach Jacki Stonebraker had a message for her team before the game.
“We have lost in the first round before when we should have won – and we never got to go on,” Stonebraker said. “I talked to the girls about that before the game, that you don’t want to be that team.”
It took Kami McEldowney just five seconds to score off the opening jump, and the Lady Tigers never trailed in a 76-28 victory in the opening round of the Division III Covington sectional.
Versailles, 22-1, advances to play 20th seed Northridge, 2-19, at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Dixie closes the season at 2-21.
“The girls came out and did a good job,” Stonebraker said.
Dixie did have a little success offensively in the first quarter.
Cyndie Stone got behind the Versailles press for three baskets and McKinlee Ruppert scored 5 points.
But, they were no match for the Tigers offense.
Kami McEldowney had 10 points in the opening quarter and Danielle Winner added 6 as Versailles took a 24-11 lead.
But, the Lady Hounds made just one field each in the second and third quarters as Versailles increased the margin to 48-17 and 65-20.
And Kami McEldowney brought the crowd to its feet in the second quarter with a behind-the-back pass to her sister Caitlin for a layup.
“We came out in a different press,” Stonebraker said. “We were trying to take Dixie out of system, and what we ended up doing is taking ourselves out of system I think. We went back to the man press in the second quarter and did a good job. But we have to be able to transform from one to the other.”
Almost the entire second half was played with the new running clock rule, which kicks in when a team’s lead reaches 35 points in the second half.
“I have mixed feelings about it,” Stonebraker said. “It makes it difficult to make substitutions and get them quality time. But it is fine.”
Danielle Winner led Versailles with a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds while Kami McEldowney added 19 points and Hailey McEldowney scored 8.
Ruppert led Dixie with 17 points while Sydney Creamer grabbed eight rebounds.
Versailles was 30 of 59 from the floor for 51 percent and 10 of 17 from the line for 59 percent.
Dixie was 10 of 27 from the floor for 37 percent and eight of nine from the line for 89 percent.
Versailles owned the boards 27-12 and had four turnovers to Dixie’s 19.
“It is always good to get the first one out of the way,” Stonebraker said.
And not be “that” team.
BOX SCORE
Versailles (76)
Kami McEldowney 8-0-19, Caitlin McEldowney 2-0-4, Ellen Peters 0-0-0, Elizabeth Ording 1-3-5, Danielle Winner 9-4-22, Hailey McEldowney 3-0-8, Lindsey Winner 2-0-4, Danielle Kunk 1-0-3, Kelsey Custenborder 2-1-5, Mallory Marshal 2-2-6, Liz Watren 0-0-0, Caitlyn Luthman 0-0-0, Savannah Toner 0-0-0, Hannah Barga 0-0-0, Brooke Stonebraker 0-0-0. Totals: 30-10-76.
Dixie (28)
Mariah Harlow 1-0-3, Gabbie Bates 0-0-0, Cyndie Stone 3-0-6, McKinnie Ruppert 4-6-17, Sydney Creamer 1-2-4, Lexi Coffman 0-0-0, Kalyn McQueen 0-0-0, Cheyenne Clouse 0-0-0, Taylor Prunkard 1-0-2, Shayna Scurlock 0-0-0. Totals: 10-8-32.
3-point field goals: Versailles: K. McEldowney (3), H. McEldowney (2), Kunk. Dixie: Harlow, Ruppert (3).
Score by quarters
Versailles 24 48 65 76
Dixie 11 17 20 32
Records: Versailles 22-1, Dixie 2-21.
