Dura Hits Milestone in 78-54 Rout at Iowa Wesleyan
MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa – Eureka College sophomore guard Kennedy Dura (Edwards, Ill./Brimfield H.S.) scored 11 points and distributed seven assists, increasing her season assist total to 154 to break the program's single-season record for assists in the Red Devils' 78-54 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference triumph at Iowa Wesleyan, Wednesday night in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
Dura, who already has the fourth-highest single-season assist total in SLIAC history, broke Deb Kessinger's Eureka record of 148 set during the 1990-91 season. Dura entered Wednesday's tilt in Mount Pleasant ranked fourth in Division III in total assists this season.
Eureka (17-7, 12-3 SLIAC) trailed the hosts for much of the first quarter until Samantha Sarnes (Havana, Ill./Havana H.S.) connected from beyond the arc for a 12-10 advantage at the 4:31 mark. Sarnes' field goal highlighted a 14-0 EC run midway through the period. The visitors led 24-15 after 10 minutes.
The Red Devils used another big run in the second quarter, an 11-0 blitz that doubled up the Tigers, 38-19, after an Ashley Harfst (Saunemin, Ill./Pontiac H.S.) bucket with 3:31 to go in the half. Eureka held IWU scoreless for more than five minutes during their run and took a 38-24 lead into the locker room.
Eureka led comfortably throughout the second half. Sarnes scored to push the lead to 20, 50-30, with 2:00 left in the third quarter. Another Sarnes triple allowed Eureka to claim its biggest advantage of the night, 74-48, in the final two minutes of regulation.
Hayley Reneau (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S./Illinois Central) scored a game-high 20 points, one of four Red Devils to reach double figures. She also finished with five steals. Lexi Dooley (Sutter, Ill./Warsaw H.S.) logged a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Kerrigan Dura (Edwards, Ill./Brimfield H.S.) collected a game-high 12 boards. Sarnes tallied 16 points off the bench.
Lastella Slack scored 14 points for the hosts. IWU (4-19, 4-11 SLIAC) shot 31 percent (22-for-70) from the field.
Despite Wednesday's outcome in Mount Pleasant, Greenville won at Spalding to clinch the outright SLIAC regular-season title and the right to host next week's SLIAC Tournament. Eureka is locked into the 6 p.m. semifinal game against Webster on Friday, Feb. 23 in Greenville. The host Panthers will play a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the 8 p.m. semifinal.
Eureka will return home for its regular-season finale Saturday at 1 p.m. against Fontbonne at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena. Reneau and Kerrigan Dura will be honored immediately following the game as part of EC's annual Senior Day ceremony.