The third quarter made the difference.

The Tri-County Lady Titans went on a 16-6 run in the third quarter, sparking the No. 7 ranked Class 1A team to a 47-43 win over Effingham in an opening-round game Tuesday of the Charleston Holiday Tournament.

The Lady Hearts fell behind 17-13 after the initial eight minutes, but used a 14-2 scoring outburst in the second quarter to build a 27-19 lead at halftime.

But Bella Dudley knocked down three three-pointers and scored nine of her game-high 21 points in the third quarter to spark the Lady Titans comeback. Effingham played tough throughout, but Tri-County made 10-of-16 free throws in the final period to secure the victory.

The free throw line played a pivotal role. The Lady Titans were 16-of-25, while the Lady Hearts were 6-for-10.

Meredith Schaefer led EHS with 19 points, while Ella Niebrugge scored 11.

The Lady Hearts dipped to 9-4 overall. They will play two games today (Wednesday). They will face Teutopolis at 2 p.m. and then play Charleston at 6 p.m.