Junior Shellie Kaniut totaled a season-high 17 points and the Emory women's basketball team used a strong second half showing in coming away with a Wednesday evening road win at Berry College. The Eagles raised their overall record to 7-2 following a 67-48 decision over the Vikings who slipped to 6-5.
Kaniut finished the evening sinking seven-of-10 from the floor, including one triple, and both of her free throw attempts en route to registering her second double-figure scoring effort of the campaign. In addition, Kaniut doled out a game-high tying five assists with no turnovers in 26 minutes of action. Sophomore Dumebi Egbuna added 11 points, her fourth double-digit outing of the season, and led all players with seven rebounds.
The final two quarters proved pivotal in the outcome as the Eagles enjoyed a 38-25 scoring edge, sinking 50 percent (15 of 30) from the field compared to the Vikings' 32 percent (8 of 25). Kaniut and Egbuna paced the offensive effort over the final two stanzas with each player scoring 10 points.
After holding a 29-23 edge at halftime, Emory opened the third quarter on an 11-5 spurt, capped by a layup by freshman Ashley Oldshue, to claim a 40-28 lead. After the Vikings responded with back-to-back buckets, the Eagles scored six of the quarter's final nine points, four coming from Kaniut, to close out the frame with a 48-35 cushion. Berry's Rosie Lynch knocked down a three pointer to draw the hosts to within 10 points with 8:00 remaining in the contest, but the Eagles clamped down on Berry's comeback hopes, holding the Vikings scoreless for over four minutes, while scoring seven unanswered points, to balloon their lead to 58-41.
For the game, Emory connected on 44.6 percent (25 of 56) from the floor compared to Berry's mark of 32.7 percent (16 of 49), the seventh time this season the Eagles held an opponent to less than 40 percent. Emory forced 24 Viking turnovers, parlaying those miscues to 26 points. Emory racked up 16 steals, its eighth double-figure total in that category this season, and was led in that department by junior Fran Sweeney's five thefts.
Emory returns to action on Saturday (Jan. 2) when it hosts No. 20 Maryville College in a 4:00 pm start.