Crowe Leads Lady Eagles to Fifth Straight Win

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (2/3/24) - Behind a career effort from freshman Sara Crowe, the Williams Baptist women's basketball team won their fifth straight game with a 89-68 victory over Columbia Saturday afternoon at the Southerland-Mabee Center.

The Cougars entered the contest with a nine game win streak and were tied atop the American Midwest Conference standings with Stephens. The victory moves the Lady Eagles (16-4) a step closer to the top of the AMC standings. Stephens remains on top with an 11-1 record, while Columbia is second with a 10-2 mark, followed by Williams at 9-2. 

Williams and Stephens have a showdown looming at the SMC on Feb. 15. 

WBU trailed by seven at the halftime break but came out firing on all cylinders in the third quarter led by the efforts of Crowe. The Mammoth Springs, Ark., native scored 13 of her career-high 25 points in the period and helped the Eagles outscore the Cougars 30-8. 

WBU opened the third quarter on a 16-2 run and limited Columbia to just a 2-of-13 mark from the field. By the end of the stanza, Williams had turned its deficit into a double-digit lead at 67-52 and had Columbia reeling at both ends of the floor. 

Carmen Taylor also provided a strong for the Eagles on the day, pouring in 13 points and dishing out 10 assists for a double-double. She also grabbed five steals, while her sister Charmen added 22 points and had eight rebounds. 

Kaylee Clark finished with 18 points and five assists, while Crowe rounded her career night with five rebounds and four blocks to go along with her 25 points. 

Williams continued to stretch its lead out in the fourth quarter and led by 25 at 79-54 with 5:41 to go after a jump shot by Charmen Taylor. The Eagles shot a blistering 47.2 percent (34-of-72) from the field and also knocked down 93.8 percent (15-of-16) of their free throw attempts.

WBU returns to the road to take on Harris-Stowe Feb. 8. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in St. Louis, Mo.