Cold Shooting Day Spoils Lakers Season Opener

CHICAGO – A cold shooting performance hindered Roosevelt in a season-opening 74-50 loss to Spring Arbor on Saturday at the Goodman Center.

The Lakers (0-1) started off strong on defense by holding the visiting Cougars to just four points in the first three minutes. However, the offense never seemed to click as Spring Arbor took a 17-point lead before Roosevelt closed the quarter on a 7-0 run.

Roosevelt was able to cut the deficit to seven points early in the second quarter, but that was as close as the Lakers would manage to get. The Cougars opened up a 16-point halftime lead then continued to build on it despite a double-double from Jayla Turchin.

The senior led the Lakers with 19 points and 11 rebounds, but also made her presence known on defense. She swatted away four shots and was credited with six steals, which also were the most on Roosevelt. The Lakers ended the game with 18 steals and forced 23 turnovers from Spring Arbor, but that led to just 12 points in transition.

The Lakers will try to regroup with a tough week ahead that begins Tuesday night in Indiana against Grace College with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m.