HOUSTON, TX-- St. Thomas battled closely with Austin College on Wednesday night, ultimately pulling away for a 65-58 victory. The win improves the Celts to 9-3 overall and 3-2 in conference.

The first quarter saw an early back-and-forth as both teams traded baskets. Kenna Gibson opened the scoring for St. Thomas with a strong layup, and Macie Whitfield added a pair of free throws to help the Celts take a slight edge. Branasia Brazelton also contributed in the paint, helping St. Thomas maintain a slim lead of 11-6 by the end of the quarter.

In the second quarter, St. Thomas extended the lead with Whitfield and Gibson continuing to attack the basket, to keep the Celts ahead. Austin College stayed within striking distance, but a 3-pointer from Laura Jones and free throws from Braansia Brazelton gave the Celts a 30-28 headed into  halftime.

The third quarter remained tight, with multiple lead changes. Whitfield and Jaydia Morris hit key baskets in the paint, and Gibson drained a late three-pointer to tie the game at 38. St. Thomas entered the fourth quarter with the score knotted at 40-40. In the final quarter, St. Thomas pulled away behind timely shooting from Celts. A flurry of layups, three-pointers, and clutch free throws from Gibson, Bowie, and Macie Whitfield built a lead that Austin College could not overcome. St. Thomas closed the game on a 65-58 run to secure the victory.

Kenna Gibson led the Celts with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, adding two three-pointers and two assists. Macie Whitfield contributed 13 points along with eight rebounds, while Amyia Bowie added 12 points, five assists, and two steals. Branasia Brazelton chipped in 8 points, and Jaydia Morris scored 6 points in limited minutes.

Up Next
St. Thomas will hit the road to face the University of the Ozarks on January 16th at 7:30 PM in Arkansas.