LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Senior SHAKERA BARNES tallied 28 points to lead St. Edward's to a season-opening 74-68 victory Friday evening at Colorado Christian.
 
St. Edward's (1-0) erased a 10-point halftime deficit behind 22 second-half points from Barnes.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Colorado Christian shot 48 percent from the floor in the first half compared to just 31 percent by St. Edward's to take a 36-26 advantage into the break.
• Barnes went to work in the third quarter, scoring 10 of the Hilltoppers' 25 points.
• Clinging to a two-point lead to start the fourth quarter, St. Edward's used timely shooting to pull away.
• Barnes registered 10 points in the final quarter
• Big three-pointers by sophomore BAILEY HILL and freshman LEXI CUNNINGHAM kept the Cougars at bay.

 
HILLTOPPER NOTES

• Barnes' 28 points were the second most in her career. She had 33 points last season in a win over UT-Permian Basin.
• Cunningham and fellow freshman MADISON SCHENCK made their first appearances as Hilltoppers and finished with 12 points each.
• St. Edward's shot 53 percent from the floor and held the Cougars to 27 percent in the second half.
• This was the first meeting between the two schools.

 
QUOTE BOARD: HEAD COACH J.J. RIEHL
"This was a great win for the team tonight. I thought we came out with a lot of adrenaline and affected our game early on. We challenged the kids at halftime and they responded. This was an all-in win. Now we have to regroup and recover for tomorrow. Colorado Mines is another true test for us early on in the season."
 
SENIOR SHAKERA BARNES
"We came out a little flat in the early going. We made some changes and played with a lot more energy in the second half and that was the difference. My teammates put a lot of trust in me and I have to step up for my team."
 
UP NEXT
The Hilltoppers are back in action Saturday when they take on Colorado Mines at 5 p.m. MST in the CCU Events Center. Live video and stats will be available at www.GoHilltoppers.com.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: St. Edward's 74, Colorado Christian 68
Records: St. Edward's (1-0), Colorado Christian (0-1)
Leading Scorers: St. Edward's-SHAKERA BARNES (28), Colorado Christian-Alex Nelson (18)
Attendance: Not Available

For the latest updates on the St. Edward's women's basketball team, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @SEUWBasketball.