ALBION, Mich. -- There's something to be said about home court advantage.

Five days after a loss to Alma College, the Albion College women's basketball team responded by defeating those same Scots, 86-72. Bolstered by a double-double by senior Rain Hinton, the Britons led by 14 at halftime and never looked back.

In addition to Hinton's 26 points, sophomore Elena Welker scored 21 points for the Britons. Coming off the bench, Welker hauled in seven rebounds and dished out two assists. Both Da'Leshia Davis (13 points) and Lauren Reed (10 points) finished in double figures.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After Alma took a 15-11 lead, Albion went on a 10-2 run to close out the first quarter. Welker and Cierra Cole drained threes in the span, giving the Britons a 21-17 lead after one.

A triple from Davis ignited the Britons for another run, pushing their lead to double-digits. The sophomore was a perfect 3 for 3 from beyond the arc, with two of those coming in the run. Albion took a 45-31 lead into halftime.

Out of the break, the Britons refused to let up, leading by as many as 23 points in the third quarter. Hinton scored nine points in the period to help secure a big lead for Albion. Despite a small run late by the Scots, the deficit was too much, as the Britons held on for a victory in their home opener.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Struggling early this season beyond the arc, the Britons shot 41 percent from deep.

Using turnovers to their advantage, Albion scored 25 points off Alma turnovers.

Five of Hinton's 10 boards were on the offensive glass, keeping possessions alive for the Britons. Albion capitalized, scoring 13 second chance points in the win. 

The Brits had to prepare for a different opponent, as Albion was penciled to host Olivet. Due to protocols, the Britons were able to host Alma on Saturday to get a game in.

QUOTES FROM THE COACH

"It's always good to get a win and we were happy that Alma wanted to add this game with us," said head coach Doreen Carden. "We did some good things today, and still some not-so-good things, which is expected … We are still trying to figure some things out this early on but it was a good step forward for sure."

THE SCHEDULE

Albion picks up their first win of the 2021 season, improving to 1-2 overall. The Scots slip to 2-3. With the change in structure of the schedule, this contest does not count toward the MIAA standings.

The Brits are scheduled to host Adrian College on Wednesday evening. Tip off is slated for 7:30 p.m. Schedules are always subject to change, and as always, we will keep you updated at gobrits.com.