Backed by the leadership of graduate student Makenzie Silvey, the Saluki Women’s Basketball team broke the game open late to get the win against the Bradley Braves Saturday afternoon for a 53-41 win. Silvey led the team on the day with 17 total points, making for the all-time record for points scored in Saluki Women’s history with 1,314 points.

Silvey entered Saturday’s contest only 17 points away from the all-time scoring record and she got enough to put her name in the record books.

Also helping the Salukis earn the win were graduate student forwards Abby Brockmeyer and Gabby Walker, each earning double digit points in the win. Brockmeyer matched Silvey’s mark of 17 points scored as well as earning 10 rebounds for the team, making for a double-double. On top of the double-double, she also led the team in assists and blocks with three of each.

Walker put up another 14 points on top of that, with the trio earning 48 of the Saluki’s 53 points throughout the game.

The game had an encouraging start for Silvey, looking for that all-time scoring record. She earned the first four points of the afternoon off two layups to help the Saluis earn an early lead at 8-4. It didn’t take long for the Braves to take their own lead. After a three pointer, the Braves took a 13-12 lead with three minutes left of the first. Some free throw opportunities for the Salukis gave them a chance to earn the lead back once more before the first quarter ended and they took the lead back once again at 18-13 heading into the second quarter.

A mostly back and forth start to the second quarter kept it at a six point game at 24-18, but back-to-back threes and layups for the Braves contributed to a 10-0 run to give them the lead once again at 28-24. Silvey would earn a layup to stop the scoreless run for the Salukis and they would head into the locker room for halftime down by two at 28-26.

An 8-2 run to start the second half earned the Salukis the lead once again at 34-30 but the Salukis just could not pull away quite yet as the Braves kept it within the four point lead for the rest of the third quarter. The Salukis went into the final frame with a two point lead at 39-37.

The Salukis controlled most of the fourth quarter, with the Braves only earning four points off of a layup and two free throws. Silvey, only needing one more basket to break the record, nailed a layup given to her by Brockmeyer early in the fourth for point 17 in the game and officially put her name in the record book passing Cartaesha Macklin for the teams all-time leading scorer. The layup put the Salukis up 43-39. From this point the Saluki defense clamped down on the Braves and went on a 10-2 run the rest of the game, earning them the 53-41 final score and their tenth win of the season.

The Salukis will continue their season with a road game this Thursday against the Indiana State Sycamores and a 5 p.m first tip.

Sports reporter Joseph Bernard can be reached at [email protected] or on twitter @Jojobernard2001.

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