WINFIELD, Kan. — Southwestern College put together a strong second-quarter response Saturday afternoon, but Sterling College pulled away after halftime for an 82-56 win in Conference play at Stewart Field House.

The game, played with a 1 p.m. tip in recognition of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, saw the Lady Builders (4-14, 0-12) shake off a slow start and answer Sterling's early momentum. Southwestern outscored the Lady Warriors 23-20 in the second quarter and cut the deficit to 39-32 at halftime.

Senior Macey Pond led Southwestern with a double-double, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes. Breanna Goad added 13 points, connecting on three 3-pointers, while Monroe Swope scored eight points off the bench. The Lady Builders generated 18 second-chance points and stayed active on the offensive glass.

Sterling (13-5, 9-3) regained control in the third quarter, shooting efficiently and outscoring Southwestern 28-11 in the period. Nevaeh Johnson led the Lady Warriors with 19 points, and Bailey Young posted 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Southwestern continued to compete into the fourth quarter, with Pond providing a steady presence inside and Goad and Swope supplying perimeter scoring, but was unable to overcome Sterling's third-quarter surge.

The Lady Builders continue conference play on the road Wednesday, Jan. 21, with a 5 p.m. matchup at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas.