Women's Basketball | 1/14/2011 11:44:56 AM
Game 18: McPherson College (3-14, 1-6) at University of Saint Mary (7-10, 1-6)
Saturday, January 15, 2011 | 1:30 p.m. | Ryan Sport Center | Leavenworth, Kan.
Game Notes (PDF)
Live Audio
Live Video (KCAC Women's Basketball Game of the Week)
The Matchup
The McPherson College women’s basketball team enters the weekend contest looking to snap a five game winless streak, as the Bulldogs take on the University of Saint Mary Saturday afternoon at the Ryan Sport Center.
Tipoff between the Bulldogs and Spires is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CST. A radio broadcast will be carried in the McPherson area by 96.7 FM KBBE Mid-Kansas Radio. Bulldog play-by-play announcer Nick Gosnell will have the call. An audio stream with also be provided at www.macbulldogs.com.
The Bulldogs are 3-14 overall and 1-6 in conference play following a 50-58 loss at Bethany College on Thursday night. In that game, McPherson shot 29.3 percent (17-of-58) from the field. Defensively, MC forced Bethany into 23 turnovers, but the Bulldogs were outrebounded, 47-36. Senior guard
Kristen Ozbun (Rose Hill, Kan.) paced the MC offense with 16 points, while tallying five rebounds and a team-high four assists.
Ozbun, the Bulldogs leading scorer this season with 275 points, moved within 16 points of April Woody for third on the all-time scoring list with her performance Thursday night. She currently has 1,133 career points in 95 games played.
Much like the Bulldogs, the Spires (7-10, 1-6 KCAC) have had their struggles since opening conference play. USM is currently riding a six game losing streak, after they were defeated, 47-63, Thursday night at Bethel College. Much of USM’s success this season has been based around their defense. They rank in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense (56.2) and field goal percentage defense (35.1 percent).
Following the Spires, McPherson returns home for a midweek contest with nationally ranked Sterling College. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
Scouting USM
USM comes into the weekend with a 7-10 overall record and 1-6 conference mark, following a 47-63 loss at Bethel College. Against the Threshers, USM shot 34.0 percent from the field, but struggled handling the ball with 28 turnovers. The Spires held a 35-31 edge in rebounding.
Senior forward Samantha Ciani leads the Spire attack averaging a near double-double at 11.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest. She has scored in double figures in 10-of-17 games for the Spires and is shooting 48.8 percent from the field.
USM is a team that is built around the defensive side of the ball. The Spires rank among the top 10 nationally in total rebounding margin (11.3), scoring defense per game (56.2), total rebound defense (33.1), defensive rebounds per game (30.5) and field goal percentage defense. They have held opponents under 60 points 10 times this season, including holding Haskell Indian Nations University to just 40 points. Offensively the Spires have struggled. As a team, they are shooting just 36.8 percent (331-of-899) from the field, while averaging 20.5 turnovers per game.
The Spires are coached by Michael Basler.
In their last meeting...
McPherson, Kan. – Junior guard Kristen Ozbun’s three-pointer with 1:57 left in the overtime lifted the Bulldogs to a 56-55 lead, before senior forward Stephanie Poland put the nail in the coffin with a pair of free throws to propel the McPherson to a 58-57 overtime win against the University of Saint Mary Thursday night at the McPherson Sport Center.
McPherson rallied from eight points down with five minutes remaining in the second half to force overtime and pick up their first win against the Spires since Feb. of 2008. With the win McPherson improves to 6-17 overall and 3-12 in KCAC play, while the Spires drop to 6-19 overall and 3-12 in conference.
Junior guard Kristen Ozbun led McPherson with team high 12 points, while senior forward Stephanie Poland added her first double double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore guard Brooke Sloan also finished in double figures with 11, while freshman forward Shireana Robinson added 10. Michelle Ducy ran the Bulldog offense with great efficiency, racking up a season high nine assists on the night.
The Bulldogs controlled the boards on the night, out-rebounding the Spires 54-42, including 23 rebounds on the offensive glass. McPherson struggled shooting just 28.6 percent (18-of-63) from the field, but scored 17 points at the free throw line and 18 off USM turnovers to make up the difference.
Both sides traded free throws to open the overtime, before USM’s Sarah Beshears connected on a jumper to give the Spires a two-point, 55-53 lead with 2:37 remaining. McPherson fought back, but couldn’t find the bottom of the net until Ozbun nailed a three-pointer off a feed from Brooke Weisenburger to go up, 56-55 with 1:57 remaining.
After a pair of missed three-pointers, USM was forced to send Poland to the line with 31 seconds left and McPherson still up one. Poland sunk both free throws to seal the victory.
Neither side generated much offense in the first 20 minutes as McPherson found themselves down at the break 24-23. The Bulldogs jumped on the Spires early in the second half, converting a Carley Sharp layup and an Ozbun three-pointer to take a 28-24 lead.
Part way through the second half, McPherson’s offense went cold as they were held without a field goal for more than seven minutes. Despite the poor offense, the Bulldogs defense allowed the Spires to only gain an eight point, 48-40, advantage with five minutes left.
The Bulldogs finished the second half on an 11-3 run to send the game into overtime, 51-51.
