Box Score

Atlanta, GA -- The Piedmont College women's basketball team has started out fast this 2011-12 season in defense of their Great South Athletic Conference championship from a year ago getting their second win in as many games with a 63-48 victory over Oglethorpe University.  Taking on the in-state rival Stormy Petrels in the team's own tournament, the Lady Lions exploded offensively in the first half riding a big halftime lead to the eventual 15 point decision.

One year after placing 15th amongst all NCAA Division III schools in field goal percentage defense by holding teams to just under 33% shooting in 2010-11, Piedmont's defensive domination was once again on display earlier this afternoon as the Lady Lions held OU to 23% shooting in the first half of today's ballgame in the Stormy Petrels' own building.  That committment to keep the home team to a low offensive output helped the Lady Lions own attack in the first as PC held a lead as large as 17 in the opening 20 minutes.

Helping the visitors to that double-digit first half lead was veteran post presence Sada Wheeler who nearly had a double-double at the half with her ten boards and eight points before the break.  As Oglethorpe tried to make a run with a few minutes remaining until the two teams entered the locker room, the Stormy Petrels' effort to bring the advantage down to single digits was dashed by Wheeler's classmate in senior Amber Satterfield who put the dagger in the first half for the Lady Lions hitting a three ball to put her team back up by 16 at the end of one, 37-21.

Piedmont never looked back in half number two continuing to keep pace with any Oglethorpe comeback effort while holding the Stormy Petrels to poor shooting once again as OU managed just over 22% for the entire game.  The Lady Lions didn't need a field goal over the final four minutes of regulation to earn the 15 point road victory relying on a complete team defensive effort to start out 2011-12 with a 2-0 record.

Satterfield owned Piedmont's leading scorer spot with her 13 points on four of seven shooting as the McCaysville native also connected on three of her six tries from downtown. The senior's timely shooting from behind the arc helped PC hold on to its double-digit lead that was a constant throughout much of the action while she added five rebounds and four helpers to the cause as well.

Fellow senior Sada Wheeler had her own big day with yet another double-double posting ten points with 13 boards on the afternoon while also collecting four blocks defensively.  The Gainesville native shot better than 71% from the field in 25 minutes of action helping her team to its 22nd win in their last 31 games dating back to the 2010-11 season.

Four Lady Lions scored eight a piece for Head Coach Jamie Purdy who picked up her 108th win at the helm of the successful women's basketball program.  Point guard Alyssa Jones was tops in assists with five helpers to her name while adding three boards and shooting 50% from the field.

Piedmont rolls to a 2-0 record in 2011-12 with the 15 point victory over its in-state rival Oglethorpe.  The Lady Lions continue play in the Stormy Petrels' home tourney tomorrow with an early afternoon matchup against another Georgia program in the Vikings of Berry College.  That November 27th battle is set to tip at 2:00 pm in Atlanta on the Oglethorpe campus.