Women's Basketball | 12/6/2009 12:00:00 AM
Box Score McPherson, Kan. – The McPherson College women’s basketball team scored 18 points off 14 Ottawa University turnovers to propel themselves to their first KCAC win of the season, 69-61, Saturday night at the McPherson Sport Center.
The win improves the Bulldogs to 4-5 overall and 1-1 in KCAC play, while the Lady Braves drop to 1-11 and 0-2 in KCAC action. The win is McPherson’s first home victory in KCAC play since the 2007-08 season.
Freshman forward Shireana Robinson led the Bulldogs with her second double-double of the season, including a career-high 24 points. Robinson finished the night 10-of-17 from the field and 4-of-8 from the free throw line to go along with 11 rebounds to complete her second double-double in three games.
Senior guard Kristen Ozbun, the only other Bulldog in double digits, added 13 points on 3-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the three-point arch. Ozbun and Michelle Ducy finished the contest with a team-high five assists apiece.
McPherson connected on 26-of-27 shots (36.6 percent), including 13-of-31 (41.9 percent) in the second half. The Bulldogs prevailed despite hitting only 4-of-15 (26.7 percent) on three-pointers and 13-of-21 (61.9 percent) from the free throw line. The Bulldogs dominated the boards, pulling down 55 rebounds to only 42 by the Braves. MC forced 14 Ottawa turnovers, while committing a season-low 10 of their own.
McPherson finished the first half on a 24-4 run to enter the halftime locker room up 14, 34-20. The Bulldogs continued their dominance in the second half as they extended their lead to 19 points, 60-41, on an Ozbun three-pointer with 5:57 remaining in the game.
Ottawa began to battle their way back into the game, finishing the game on an 18-9 run, but the McPherson lead proved too much of a hill to climb.
Mallory Mueller and Maggie Hasenkamp paced the Braves offense, as they finished the night with 15 points, respectively.
McPherson hits the road on Thursday, Dec. 10, to take on Tabor College in Hillsboro. The game marks the Bulldogs first KCAC road contest of the season. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. inside the Tabor College Student Center.
