COLUMBIA, Mo. – In front of an electric crowd for Pack the Gym Night, Stephens College secured a hard-fought 68-57 victory over William Woods in the first-ever televised game for the Stars basketball program. This was the second broadcast in Stephens Athletics history on KMIZ, airing on Channel 17.3 over the air, Channel 18 on DirecTV, and Channel 9 on Mediacom.

Chu Crockett delivered another standout performance, leading all scorers with 30 points, along with six rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. LaiJanique Perry-Ellis contributed 20 points and four assists, while Trinitee Alexander provided a crucial presence on the boards with eight rebounds.

The energy in Silverthorne Arena was palpable from the start, but William Woods capitalized on an early offensive rhythm to take a 23-19 lead after the first quarter. 

Stephens responded with a highlight-worthy moment as Aushara Hostetler sank a three-pointer at the buzzer, igniting the crowd and shifting the momentum heading into the second period.

The Stars clamped down defensively in the second quarter, holding William Woods to just 16 points while executing on the offensive end. 

Crockett dominated in the paint with back-to-back layups, and Perry-Ellis added a key and-one play to fuel a 19-point quarter for Stephens, tying the game 38-38 at halftime.

Coming out of the break, Stephens turned up the intensity, outscoring the Owls 13-8 in the third quarter. The defensive duo of Syderah Farmer and Alonna Harvey-Williams forced key turnovers, while Paula Puzule added an important basket to extend the Stars' lead heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter saw Stephens take full control, shooting an efficient 77.8% from the field to put the game out of reach. 

Crockett and Perry-Ellis combined for a series of strong drives, while Alexander sealed the win with late free throws.

The Stars now turn their attention to Saturday, Feb. 15, as they travel across town for a 1 p.m. matchup against Columbia College.