2021 Keiser New Year's Eve Classic
Score: Keiser 67, Lawrence Tech 58
Records: Keiser (12-5), Lawrence Tech (9-8) 
Location: Student Life Center, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Keiser Starters: Shykim Gillion (G), Chiara De Virgilio (G), Andressa Nascimento (F), Kaitlyn Fertig (F), Angela Denis (F).
Lawrence Tech Starters: Dominique Evans (G), Kendall Fisher (G), Kylee Batey (G), Julia Huey (G), Jade Faris (F)

Led by four players in double figures, the Keiser women's basketball team snapped their two-game losing streak with a 67-58 win over Lawrence Tech to open the 2021 Keiser New Year's Eve Classic Thursday afternoon.

Freshman Elise Ellison-Coons notched her fourth straight double-double and sixth of the season in the win, finishing with a team-best 14 points and career-high 15 rebounds.



A triple from Chiara De Virgilio to open the second half sparked a 10-2 run for the Seahawks as they pushed their lead to 11, 39-28, with 7:46 to go in the third.

---

 




Keiser 14, Lawrence Tech 14

• After Keiser's Angela Denis opened the scoring with a layup, the Blue Devils reeled off 11 of the next 13 points to take their largest lead of the game, 11-4, with 6:59 left in the quarter.
• The Seahawks responded with an 8-0 run to retake the lead, 12-11, as 2:14 showed on the clock.
• Skykim Gillion led the charge during the run, netting six of the eight Seahawk points.
• A three-pointer by Kendall Fisher slowed the Keiser surge momentarily, but Eliana Schaeffer closed the quarter with a layup to level the score at 14-14.

Keiser 29, Lawrence Tech 26

• Following a layup by Fisher to start the period, Ellison-Coons knocked down her third triple of the season at the 9:05 mark to put the Seahawks in front, 17-16.
• The two sides traded the next 16 points over a 7:31 stretch as KU held a 25-24 advantage.
• Kaitlyn Fertig registered four of the final six points of the half as the Seahawks took a 29-26 lead into the halftime break.

Keiser 51, Lawrence Tech 42

• A triple from De Virgilio to open the second half sparked a 10-2 run for the Seahawks as they pushed their lead to 11, 39-28, with 7:46 to go in the third.
• Lawrence Tech battled back with nine of the next 14 points to cut the KU lead to seven, 42-35 at the 5:22 mark.
• De Virgilio's second three of the game pushed the Seahawk lead back to double figures, 47-37, with 3:33 remaining in the quarter.
• The senior closed the quarter with a pair of free throws at the line as Keiser took a 51-42 advantage into the fourth.

Keiser 67, Lawrence Tech 58

• Back-to-back baskets by the Blue Devils to start the period cut the Seahawks lead to five, 51-46, with 9:16 remaining in the game.
• Schaefer responded with a make from downtown, jump-starting an 11-2 run to give Keiser their largest lead of the game, 62-48.
• Angela Denis and Schaefer combined for nine of the Seahawks 11 points during the run that stretched from the 7:43 mark to the 5:26.
• A three by Julia Huey stopped the bleeding for the Blue Devils and sparked a 5-0 spurt to cut the KU lead back to single digits, 62-53, with 3:13 remaining in the contest.
• Keiser and Lawrence Tech matched points over the final three minutes of play as the Seahawks went on to win 67-58.

 

---

• Keiser improved to 12-5 on the season with the win.
• Keiser's 12 wins are the most before the New Year in program.
• Thursday's win was the Seahawks' first all-time against the Blue Devils (1-2).
• Keiser is now 1-7 all-time against teams from the Wolverine State.
• Thursday's contest marked the third straight meeting between the two programs in West Palm Beach, Fla.
• Ellison-Coons logged her fourth straight double-double and sixth of the season in the win.
• De Virgilio reached double figures for the eighth time this season, finishing with 12 points.

• Ellison-Coons (14), Gillion (12), De Virgilio (12) and Denis (12) all reached double figures to lead Keiser offensively.
• Keiser dished out 20 assists on 24 made baskets, led by De Virgilio's Seahawk career-high, eight.
• Ellison-Coons pulled down a career-best 15 boards as KU outrebounded LTU, 44-41.
• Denis swatted a season-high three shots in the win.
• Overall, Keiser shot 46.2 percent from the field, while holding Lawrence Tech to 31.4 percent.

 

• Ties: 2
• Lead Changes: 5
• Largest Lead: Keiser (14), Lawrence Tech (7)

Keiser

• Points: Ellison-Coons (14)
• Rebounds: Ellison-Coons (15)
• Assists: De Virgilio (8)

 
Lawrence Tech

• Points: Kendall Fisher (22)
• Rebounds: Kylee Batey (8)
• Assists: Kendall Fisher (10)

Keiser closes out the New Year's Eve Classic tomorrow afternoon with a matchup against Grace College at 2:00 p.m. inside the Student Life Center.