Ruthie Moore and Hannah Monday posted double-doubles, with Moore coming one rebound shy of a triple-double, and the Covenant women's basketball team used a big fourth quarter to pull away for an 87-77 win over Johnson on Saturday afternoon inside Barnes PE Center.
Moore finished with a season-high 16 points and 11 assists to go along with nine rebounds, while Monday notched her double-double with 19 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Monday's double-double was her second of the year.
Moore's 11 assists were the most for a Scot since Morgan Woodward dished out 11 in a win over Mary Baldwin in 2015.
The freshman also tallied five steals and a block.
Covenant (4-7) used key plays in the fourth quarter to stave off a feisty Johnson (5-7) squad. Up 59-55 at the beginning the quarter, Covenant scored 28 points and shot 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from the field in the period. A 9-0 run, capped by an Elissa Moore jumper at the 6:23 mark gave Covenant its largest lead of the day at 70-57. Ruthie Moore had a 3-pointer and the Scots got baskets from Margo Koby and Monday during the run.
Cosette Kirsch had 17 points as Covenant put five players in double figures. Koby finished with 12 points, six rebounds, and four assists while Rachel Thomas came off the bench to score 11 points. Elissa Moore contributed nine points and three assists.
Covenant was efficient on offense all game. The Scots connected on 45.9 percent (34-of-74) from the field with 22 assists and only six turnovers. Covenant shot better than 47 percent in three of the four periods.
The Scots looked poised to run away with the game early on. Covenant built a 12-point lead in the first quarter after shooting over 50 percent for much of the period. The Scots led 16-4 after a Monday offensive rebound and putback with 5:14 left in the first, but Johnson ended the period in a 9-2 run to get within 23-19 heading to the second.
In the second period, Covenant used a late surge to grab a 45-38 lead at the half. A Kirsch 3-pointer and Ruthie Moore layup gave the Scots a nine-point lead in the final minute of the second quarter.
Johnson rallied in the third and took its first lead of the day at 50-49 after a 3-pointer from Kinzey Hill. Covenant answered later in the period and a conventional three-point play from Thomas in the final minute of the quarter gave the Scots a 59-55 lead.
Johnson was led by Keelie Lusby's 23 points and eight assists, while Tori Teesateski had 15 points. Ashlyn Moran added 13 points and Hill and Jordan Smith had 12 points apiece. The visiting Royals made 49.1 percent (27-of-55) from the floor with eight 3-pointers and were 15-of-18 at the free throw line.
Covenant will be off for final exams and Christmas. The Scots will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 4 against Wesleyan inside Barnes PE Center.