Jones' career-high 27 leads Flying Queens

Box Score The Wayland Baptist Flying Queens' game against Sul Ross State on Saturday started out looking the same as some of the Christmas sweaters being worn that afternoon at Pack the Hutch: rather ugly.

But the Flying Queens, ranked the equivalent of 27^th in the NAIA, gradually got rid of the ugly and proceeded to roll past the NCAA Division III Lobos, 77-58.
 
"I thought we worked better together today than we did last Saturday (in a 100-65 loss to now No. 9 Oklahoma City)," WBU coach Alesha Robertson-Ellis said. "Our young kids are stepping up and playing well and our seniors represented pretty well today, too."
 
Senior Jade Jones scored a career-high 27 points and missed a double-double by one rebound, and freshman Kendrick Clark notched 14 points, matching her season-best, to lead Wayland (6-2) in its final home contest of the year.
 
Wayland never trailed in the game against the Lobos (5-3), but the Flying Queens didn't take control until a 10-0 run midway through the second quarter. WBU led just 22-19 at the time, but after that run was never seriously threatened again.
 
Nina Sato played a big part in the momentum-changing push, scoring four points and forcing a turnover that led to a bucket by Clark.
 
"We're figuring some things out with Nina," Robertson-Ellis said. "She's capable of making big plays. I don't think anyone on the court could guard her today."
 
Freshman Savannah Cognassi also came up big durnig the run by nailing a 3-pointer that gave Wayland its first double-digit lead.
 
The Lobos cut it to nine on a 3-pointer by former Wayland cheerleader Taylor Gass, but that's as close as SRSU got. The Flying Queens were up 38-25 at halftime then really began pulling away in the third quarter with a dozen unanswered points that took the lead to 26 points, 60-34. Jones scored the first six points of that run, then Clark and Gabby Gonzales tacked on back-to-back 3-pointers.

"Jade had a big night, which always helps. I was real proud of the way she played," Robertson-Ellis said.
 
Jones' 27 points eclipsed her previous career-high of 26 last season against Bacone.
 
Robertson-Ellis also praised Clark, who also scored 14 against OCU a week earlier.
 
"We've challenged her to step up and she's done real well the last two games," the coach said. "We have to have that out of her. We have five freshmen, and if we're going to do big things those five aren't going to be able to play like freshmen."
 
Wayland dominated the boards, 46-29, and held SRSU to 35 percent shooting (19-of-55). The Flying Queens shot 44 percent (29-of-66) from the field and 78 percent (14-of-18) free throws.
 
All 10 Flying Queens who played scored at least two points. Morgan Bennett finished with a team-best five assists, while Sato had four steals.
 
Robertson-Ellis also pointed out the leadership of twins Shayla and Shawna Monreal.
 
"You may not see it in their stats, but they do a nice job being a calming factor for us," she said.
 
The Flying Queens now look ahead to two non-conference rematches, first at Northern New Mexico in Espanola at 5:30 p.m. Monday. Wayland defeated NMMU on Nov. 10 in Plainview, 78-51. Wayland then heads to Alpine to take on Sul Ross State again at 5 p.m. Thursday.