NATCHITOCHES—At this point,
Vernell Atamah can be written down for at least 20 points a night.
The sophomore made it four of five games she has scored at least 20 points, pouring in 28 points, as the Demons (3-2) overcame a sluggish start to dominate Arkansas Baptist 103-52 on Friday evening at Prather Coliseum.
Atamah's 28 points set a season high and finished just one shy of her career high, set against New Orleans as a freshman.
"We needed a wake-up call," Atamah said, referring to the slow start. "Definitely after that first quarter and into the second quarter, we said 'Hey, we need to lock in and focus more.' We were not prepared for Arkansas Baptist as well as we should have been at the start and that has to change moving forward."
NSU turned the ball over seven times and shot just 30 percent in that first quarter, which helped the Lady Buffs stay in the game, as the Demons led just 14-11 after one.
"Arkansas Baptist came out really hungry," head coach
Anna Nimz said. "They put us in our place really quick and in a hurry. But as the game progressed, our girls progressed along with it.
"There were a lot of positives from this game we can talk about and there are other areas we need to get better at."
The Demons turned it on in the second quarter and never looked back.
After making just one of nine attempts from behind the 3-point arc in the first quarter, NSU made eight in the second quarter, including a stretch where it made six of seven to turn a 24-17 advantage into a 42-25 lead.
The Demons made a school-record 18 triples in the win over Ecclesia and made 14 more against ABC, shooting 41.2 percent from deep.
NSU's 14 3-pointers are tied for the second most in program history.
Atamah scored or assisted on 14 of the Demons' 30 points in the second quarter, as NSU outscored ABC 30-14 in the second to open up a commanding 44-25 lead.
It was much more of the same in the third quarter, as NSU opened the second half on a 15-0 run, started by back-to-back 3-pointers from
Nya Valentine and Atamah.
"I think the group that finished the final five minutes of the second quarter did a great job bringing energy and were a little grittier on defense and facilitated the ball and produced a little bit better basketball.
"I was really proud of our starters coming out of the third. Not only did they come out hot offensively, but I think they started the half with five straight stops, and that is who we are. Although we shoot a lot of 3-pointers, it is always going to come down to our defense and our discipline, so I was really happy to see that coming out of the third."
That pairing of Valentine and Atamah combined to score 11 of the 15 points during that spurt, as NSU opened up a 59-25 lead.
Atamah was one of four Demons to hit double figures.
Outside of Atamah, NSU had balanced scoring. The sophomore was joined by
Dasia Turner (10),
Joceline Geara (10) and
Stephie Salumu (10) in double figures in scoring, all of which are NSU highs.
Two others—Valentine and
Mika Jarrett—finished with nine.
In addition to Geara's 10 points, she added a career-high and game-high six assists.
Transfer Jay Scott found the scoreboard for the first time as a Demon, scoring on a transition layup in the final period.
For the game, NSU shot 55.7 percent for the game and made at least 60 percent in each of the last three quarters.
The Demons held the Lady Buffs to sub-30 percent shooting, but they did what they could from the free throw line, making 18-of-30. The 30 shots from the charity stripe are tied for the most surrendered by NSU this season (Nebraska).
The Demons now head to Florida, as they take part in the Emerald Coast Classic, beginning with Virginia on Monday before playing either Nebraska or Purdue Fort Wayne on Tuesday. NSU doesn't play at Prather Coliseum again until Dec. 21 against Lamar, a span of exactly one month between home games.
