Sports

Clark-Heard returns to Shootout as coach, Western Kentucky beats George Mason in tourney opener

Winning a game at the Great Alaska Shootout is nothing new for Western Kentucky women's basketball coach Michelle Clark-Heard — it just wasn't something recent.

Clark-Heard's Hilltoppers beat George Mason 84-58 Tuesday to tip off the GCI Great Alaska Shootout at the Alaska Airlines Center. Previously, Clark-Heard hit the court as a player when Western Kentucky finished third in 1988 back when the tournament was still the Northern Lights Invitational.

"I think the most important thing I remember was just being excited about the fans," Clark-Heard said. "I think we had a great crowd, the competition and then just enjoying Alaska in general and having the opportunity sight seeing and doing all those things. So, it was some fun, but we also came to take care of business too."

The Hilltoppers took care of business Tuesday. Western Kentucky went up 8-1 early in the first quarter and expanded their lead to 50-26 at the half.

The Hilltoppers went 5 of 6 from beyond the arc in the half with three of them coming from guard Kendall Noble. They also outrebounded the Patriots 21-14.

"When we hit shots, it amps up our defense a little bit, brings up the energy," Noble said. "I think we just played hard, rebounded pretty well in the first half and just got stops."

Western Kentucky didn't expand the lead much in the second half, but it maintained the lead and Clark-Heard said she had the opportunity to play some different players.

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"I think we played a really, really good first half, shot the ball well and just kind of got into the flow of the game," Clark-Heard said. "We got the chance to play some different players and some different combinations. This is just our third game, so just really continuing to try to get better and work on the little things."

Forward Tashia Brown led the Hilltoppers with 22 points, Noble added 17 points and 12 rebounds and forward Ivy Brown scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half.

George Mason was led by 14 points from guard Taylor Brown.

The Patriots return to the Alaska Airlines Center at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday for the Shootout's third-place game. Western Kentucky advances to the 5 p.m. championship game with the win.

"I think we're just going to worry about ourselves," Noble said. "Whoever we play, it doesn't really matter. It's just about us and we gotta come out and play hard, take care of the ball, rebound and just have fun."

Stephan Wiebe

Stephan Wiebe writes about all things Alaska sports.

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