Bulldogs battle back but come up short at Ottawa

Women's Basketball | 12/4/2010 11:29:57 PM

Box Score

Ottawa, Kan. – The McPherson College women’s basketball team outscored Ottawa University 40-32 in the second half, but it was not enough to overcome a slow start as the Bulldogs fell to the Braves, 68-66 Saturday evening at Wilson Field House.

The loss drops McPherson to 2-9 overall and 0-2 in KCAC action, while the Braves improve to 3-7 overall and 1-1 in league play.

Guard Brooke Weisenburger (Gardner, Kan.) tallied a near season-best with 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting to lead McPherson, while freshman forward Tori Verdieck (New Castle, Colo.) set a career-high with 13 points and Elice Frey (Riley, Kan.) added 10. Kristen Ozbun (Rose Hill, Kan.) continues her run through the record book, as the Rose Hill, Kan. native tallied eight points to move herself into fifth place on the all-time scorers list with 1,042 career points. She is just the six Bulldogs in program history to record more than 1,000 points in a career.

The Bulldogs tallied just nine field goals in the first half, but only faced a 10-point halftime deficit, 36-26.

In the second half, McPherson opened the period with a 9-2 run capped by a Weisenburger three-point basket to cut the deficit to 38-35 with 16:27 remaining. A pair of OU treys extended the Brave lead back to nine, but the Bulldogs answered and eventually took the lead 47-46 with a little more than 12 minutes left.

OU built a four-point lead on a Maggie Hasenkamp three-pointer with 1:28 left in the game. The two sides would trade turnovers before Frey found herself at the free throw line with an opportunity to put the game within two. Frey would convert both free throws and a Paige Gibson turnover would give the Bulldogs a chance to win or tie with 30 seconds left on the clock. However, MC’s attempt would fall short as Ottawa picked up the two-point win, 68-66.

The Bulldogs return to action Thursday night when they play host to Bethel College. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.