Carlinville, Ill.- The Concordia University Chicago Women's Basketball team opened up the 2017-18 season on the road against Blackburn College tonight. A close game in the first half turned into a route behind a 35 point explosion in the third quarter. Sophia Leon had the coming out party of the night though, scoring a game high 22 points in her Cougar debut.

CUC had 13 different players score while shooting 57.9 percent from the floor which tied the program record from 2006, and 50 percent from three. The Cougars were also able to force 31 Blackburn turnovers on the night.

"That's a good way to start the season," remarked head coach Rusty Rogers. "Tonight's game showed that we have a lot to work on, but that second half showed what we can be. Sophia's performance tonight was exactly what we have been seeing in practice all preseason. Our bench was a big part of our success and will have to continue to develop as we move forward."

The Cougars opened the game on a 5-0 run, but Blackburn was able to stay right on their heels as both teams shot lights out from the floor with CUC shooting 8-10 from the floor including five points from Crystal Corr and seven from Leon. In total seven different Cougars scored in the quarter which propelled them to a 25-20 lead.

The second quarter saw the two teams continue to shoot the lights out. A Taylor Jacobsen jumper forced a Beaver timeout with 8:50 remaining in the quarter with CUC leading 31-22. Blackburn pulled with 33-31 with 04:26 remaining in the quarter, but Annika Rae would end the run with a three from the top of the key. The Cougars opened up a nine point lead late in the quarter, but a Beaver basket cut the CUC lead to 42-35 at halftime.

"Our defense wasn't completely there in the first half," said Rogers. "Our offense really stepped up, and then I challenged our team to step it up another notch in the second half and they responded."

The third quarter was the highlight of the night. Leon led the way going a perfect 4-4 from the floor including 3-3 from downtown. Courtney Lofink and Corr got in on the fun as well in the quarter where CUC shot 12-20 from the floor scoring 35 points in the quarter while limiting the Beavers to just 3-15 from the floor in the quarter.

CUC continued to keep the foot on the gas in the fourth quarter with Coach Rogers using the full complement of players from his bench in the quarter. The Cougars put 17 more points on the board while the defense clamped down allowing just nine Blackburn points in the quarter.

The Cougars now will have just over a week to ready themselves for Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play when they welcome the Alverno Inferno to Geiseman Gymnasium on Saturday Nov. 25 with opening tip set for 7:00pm.