FULTON, Mo. – The William Woods University women's basketball team defeated Hannibal-LaGrange in their final home game of the 2018-19 regular season, 78-41. If the Owls win their last regular season game, or if both the Owls and Lindenwood-Belleville lose, they will clinch the fourth-place seed in the American Midwest Conference Tournament.
 
Peyton Greenlee led the Owls with 20 points on 8-13 shooting. Katie French followed with 12 points of her own on 4-6 shooting.
 
WWU will play their final regular season game on Saturday, Feb. 23, as they travel to St. Louis, Mo. to face St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
Game Flow
The Trojans were the first to put points on the board. A three-point basket from Kylee Elmore put Hannibal ahead 3-0. WWU quickly responded with a two-point basket of their own coming from Peyton Greenlee.
 
Three minutes into the first period, Hannibal was able to stretch their lead to 7-4 when Matitza Chavez connected on her two point attempt, but Kasey Hazell would find the bottom of the basket and put the Owls within one.
 
Midway through the first period, an Ashleigh Frampton free throw tied the game at 9-9. There would not be another basket scored on either ends until 2:48 when Greenlee gave WWU a 10-9 lead. Seconds later, she pushed the Owls lead to 13-9 when her three-point basket fell through.
 
William Woods went on to score four more points before Emma Anderson beat the buzzer out and brought the game to 17-11 going into the second period.
 
The Owls began the second period on fire; Hazell scored back-to-back layups and pushed the Owls lead to 21-11.
 
Hannibal finally slowed things down and scored their first points of the second period on an Anderson midrange jump shot, but it would not be enough to slow the Owls down as they were able to get out to a 40-17 lead.
 
Katie French score the final point of the half for WWU and the Owls would walk into halftime ahead 21-41.
 
William Woods returned from the halftime with the same energy they had in the first half. Back-to-back buckets from Greenlee would stretch their lead to 24.
 
Hannibal finally scored their first points of the second half when Elmore knocked down a nice midrange jump shot, but the Owls would regain a 24-point lead on another Greenlee basket.
 
William Woods dominated the third period, only allowing Hannibal to get within 19. With 10 seconds left in the period, Sommer Burgard connected on her two-point basket and was sent to the line where she finished the three-point play. The Owls went into the fourth period up 58-35.
 
WWU kept their foot on the paddle early on in the fourth period. They got out to a quick 33-point lead and did not allow a Trojan basket until 4:57 when Anderson knocked down a two-point basket.
 
Another minute and a half would go past before the Trojans scored another point. Rhiannon Runyon hit two free throws for Hannibal and put them behind 35.
 
With 50 seconds remaining in regulation, Katie French hit a deep three-pointer from the wing and stretched the WWU lead to 78-41.
 
Hannibal attempted two more shots before the final buzzer. William Woods walked away with a 78-41 home victory over the Trojans.
 
By the Numbers
.53% - William Woods shot 53% from the field
.64% - WWU shot 64% from the foul line
4 – Katie French shot 4-6 from the field
7 – Kasey Hazell led the Owls with 7 rebounds in the contest
12 – French chipped in 12 points
20 – Peyton Greenlee led William Woods with 20 points
22- The Owls dished out 22 total assists in the contest