ROCKFORD, Ill- On Tuesday night the Rockford University Regents women's basketball team took on the Knox College Prairie Fire in a non-conference game at the Seaver Center. It was a fast paced, high scoring, and high intensity game due to Knox using a Grinnell style offense. After all of the buckets Rockford came away with the 118-96 win and in the process they broke the women's single game scoring record by seven points that has stood since 1986. Many Regents set Rockford career highs during the game.
Rockford started out hot with a 6-0 lead and led 10-2 five minutes into the game. Four of those ten points belonged to Lindsay Lengjak (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) and she set the tone early for a big game. The Regents extended their led to 24-12 with ten minutes left in the first half. Knox then started to get hot from the three point line hitting two in a row and adding in a two pointer to make it 28-20 with eight and a half minutes left. The fast pace of the game started to take a toll on Rockford as Knox came back to take a 36-35 lead with 6 minutes left to play in the first half. Sherrell Woods (Rockford, Ill./East) answered back for Rockford by hitting back-to-back two pointers to take a 39-38 lead with 5 minutes left to play. The Regents would not relinqush the lead after Woods' two baskets. Rockford then went on a late run to finish the first half up 55-47. Leading the way scoring for Rockford in the first half was Lengjak with 17 points. Woods added in 11 on five of five shooting. The Regents shot 60% from the field and also had 38 rebounds to Knox's 21. Knox shot 29% from the field but made five three point shots. It took the Regents a little bit of time to adjust to the Prairie Fire's fast paced offense and full-court press as they committed 21 turnovers in the first half.
Rockford started out hot in the second half increasing their lead 71-55 with 15 minutes left to play in the game. The fast scoring pace continued with Rockford maintaing an 80-67 lead with ten minutes left to play in the game. Knox once again started making baskets, hitting two quick three pointers and two free throws to pull within nine with eight minutes left in the game. Erin Ryczek (South Beloit, Ill./Hononegah) answered with a three pointer to bring the Regents lead back to double digits. Rockford continued to play well in the fast paced game and led 103-88 with four minute sleft in the game. Their big lead never evapored and the Regents cruised to a big victory. As a team Rockford shot 66% from the field and 63% from behind the line. They also had 67 rebounds and 33 assists.
Six different Regents set new Rockford single-game career highs. Lengjak set a new personal best in scoring with 31 points and also in rebounds with 15. Woods was very impressive from the field making 11 out of 12 shots to set a new career high with 24 points. Cierra Johnson (St. Louis, Mo./O'Fallon Township) set a new high with 15 points off of the bench. Arielle Nichols (Tampa, Fla./Land O' Lakes) also contributed 15 points off of the bench which was a Rockford best for her. Destiny Chaney (Belleville, Ill./O'Fallon Township) set a new high with 12 assists. Ryczek broke her career high with 13 rebounds.
The Regents return to the court after the Thanksgiving break on November 30th when they travel to Milwaukee to take on MSOE, game time is at 4:15 pm. They then travel to Dominican on December 4th at 7:00 pm before returning home on December 7th to face Marian at 4:15 pm.
