Group play schedule

        NEW ORLEANS — Rust ran away with this one.
        In a matchup of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference's two highest-ranked women's basketball teams, the Lady Bearcats won every quarter and rolled to an 82-56 victory Monday against defending league champion and NAIA No. 20 Talladega in the first of seven group-play games at Xavier University of Louisiana's Convocation Center.
        There will be two games Tuesday. Edward Waters and Talladega will meet at noon, and XULA and Rust will follow at 2:30 p.m. The GCAC has banned spectators from all the games this week because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
        Two Jordan Dubose free throws at 2:58 of the first quarter gave the Lady Tornadoes (5-2, 0-1) a 12-8 lead and capped a 10-2 run. But Rust (5-0, 1-0) answered with 16 consecutive points, seven by Kynadra Lewis, and didn't look back.
        "What I liked best about this game was our defense," Rust head coach Eric Jackson said. "Our players followed the defensive game plan to a T. They were prepared. Hats off to them and their willingness to buy in. That's what set us up for success."
        Lewis, who did not start, missed only 3-of-14 shots and finished with 17 points and six assists in 26 minutes. Starting point guard Shay Johnson had 14 points and five assists, Jasmine Coleman had 12 points, four assists, five steals and no turnovers, and Katie Blackmon grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
        "Rust is the No. 1 team in the conference, and they proved it," said Talladega head coach Kevin Herod, whose Lady Tornadoes were 14-0 in the GCAC regular season a year ago. "I have a lot of respect for Eric and what he and his teams have done at Rust. He has recruited well and put together a stellar team."
        Rust was among "others receiving votes" in the most recent NAIA coaches poll; the next rankings will be announced Wednesday.
        Rust led 39-29 at halftime and never lost the double-digit lead thereafter. Two Coleman free throws in the final 30 seconds gave the Lady Bearcats their largest lead, 82-54.
        Rust outshot Talladega 46.3 to 31.3 percent from the floor and was plus-10 in turnovers, committing 16 and gaining 26.
        Kendal Weary scored 17 points and Dubose 16 for Talladega, and Tyeisha Juhan grabbed 10 rebounds. But Juhan — the GCAC Preseason Player of the Year — was 2-of-11 from the floor and scored a season-low six points.
        "We lacked toughness and commitment," Herod said. "I'm very disappointed in the way we played."