COVINGTON — The Covington girls basketball team was looking to extend its winning streak to four games and get second straight Three Rivers Conference win Saturday.

The Troy Christian girls were taking the floor for the first time this season.

And the Eagles stayed close early, trailing just 9-5 after a Jocey Hill basket at the 3:15 mark of the first quarter.

Covington would then scored the final 12 points of the opening quarter to go up 21-5 and go on to a 50-23 victory Saturday afternoon.

“We got off to another slow start,” Brandon Studebaker said. “That is not good. I told the girls, we can’t do that next week when we play New Bremen and Bethel. But, you have to give Troy Christian a lot of credit. They only had seven girls (dressed) and they came in here and battled and played hard the whole game.”

Troy Christian coach Tony Ferraro knew it would be a tough assignment.

“Covington is a very athletic team,” he said. “And that countered everything we had prepared to do. But, we had a lot of good looks and we just didn’t make the shots. We had the opportunities.”

Covington guard Gracie Anderson had nine points in the run late in first quarter and Claudia Harrington hit three.

“Covington did a great job of ball movement,” Ferraro said. “This was good experience for our girls and we will get better.”

Something, Studebaker expects to see.

“We have a lot of girls that can do that (score),” Studebaker said. “We did a good job moving the ball. I think we had four girls in double figures.”

Covington led 35-11 at halftime and 42-16 after three quarters in improving to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the TRC.

Carlie Besecker had a double-double for Covington with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Harrington had 12 points, six rebounds and six steals and Gracie Anderson had 11 points.

Maggie Anderson added a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.

Brooklyn Lavy led Troy Christian with seven points, five rebounds and three assists and Kathleen Johnson added six points and seven rebounds.

Sarah Johnson had 10 rebounds and six blocked shots and Hill had three assists.

Covington was 16 of 49 from the floor for 33 percent, including three of 16 from 3-point range for 19 percent.

The Buccs made 15 of 18 free throws for 83 percent.

The Eagles were eight of 42 from the floor for 19 percent, missing all seven attempts from long range.

Troy Christian made seven of 14 from the line for 50 percent.

Covington won the battle of the boards 48-31 and had 20 turnovers to Troy Christian’s 18.

Covington will host New Bremen Tuesday, while Troy Christian travels to Mississinawa Valley Monday.