Women's Basketball | 11/30/2011 4:33:00 PM
Game 10: McPherson College (4-5, 0-0) at Bethel College (4-3, 0-0)
Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011 | 6 p.m. (CT) | Thresher Gymnasium | North Newton, Kan.
Game Notes (PDF)
Live Video (KCAC Broadcast Network)
Live Audio
McPherson, Kan. - The young McPherson women’s basketball team shoots to get back on the winning track, when the Bulldogs take on Bethel College Thursday night in both sides Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference opener. Tipoff between the Bulldogs and Threshers is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CT) inside Thresher Gymnasium.
Media coverage for the contest will be provided by the KCAC Broadcast Network and 96.7 FM KBBE MidKansas Radio. A video stream will be available at KCACsports.com, while an audio feed can be accessed at Macbulldogs.com.
McPherson enters the contest with a 4-5 overall record following a 68-61 loss at Oklahoma Wesleyan University on Nov. 22. Prior to the defeat, the Bulldogs were riding a three-game win streak, including victories against Haskell Indian Nations University, Northern New Mexico College and Central Christian College (Kan.).
Individually, sophomore Kt Porter and freshman Brittany Pittas pace the Bulldogs offense scoring 12.9 and 14.1 points per game. Pittas leads the team with nine double-figure scoring contests, including a career-high 17 points against Haskell on Nov. 19.
Bethel comes into the week riding a three-game win streak and a 4-3 overall record. BC’s victories, similarly to McPherson’s previously mentioned streak, came against Haskell, Northern New Mexico and Central Christian. Sophomore transfer Chelsea Harris, who averages 13.0 points per game, leads the Threshers offensively.
Scouting Bethel
The Threshers continue a two-game home stand with a 4-3 overall record and a three-game winning streak following a 74-38 thrashing of Central Christian College (Kan.) on Monday night. Head coach Mark Fox is in his seventh season at the helm of the women’s program and returns 11 players from last season’s squad that finished the year with a 16-14 overall record and 9-9 mark in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference action.
In their last game against Central Christian, Bethel struggled offensively, shooting only 30.7 percent (23-of-75) from the field, but forced 35 Tiger turnovers en route to the 36-point victory. Additionally, the BC defense held Central to only nine field goals and 20.9 percent (9-for-43) shooting on the evening.
This year’s Bethel team is a scrappy side that frustrates its opponent into turnovers, while also crashing hard on the boards. The Threshers currently rank fifth nationally in steals per game (16.14) and 16th in total steals (113), while ranking amongst the top 15 in the NAIA in offensive rebounds per game (17.6) and total rebounds per game (45.1). Offensively, BC averages 69.1 points per game on 35.1 percent (163-of-464) shooting from the field.
Individually, sophomore Chelsea Harris and sophomore Payton Walker have established themselves as two of BC’s primary scoring threats. Harris, a transfer from Fort Hays State University, leads the team with 91 points and a 13.0 points per game average, while also ranking eighth nationally in steals per game (3.6). On the season, Harris is shooting 37.9 percent (36-of-95) from the field and 65.5 percent (19-of-29) from the foul line. Harris has scored in double figures in all seven of BC’s games this season
Walker ranks immediately behind Harris with a 12.6 points per game average and is the Threshers best 3-point shooter with a 43.2 percent (16-of-37) success rate from beyond the arc. Walker set a career-high on Nov. 8 against Central Christian when she hit 6-of-8 3-point attempts en route to 23 points. Walker saw limited action last season.
Senior Jessica Muckenthaler is the last of the notable Threshers this season, as she leads the team with 35 total assists and 26 made free throws. Additionally, she ranks third on the squad in scoring at 11.4 points per game.
In their last meeting...
North Newton, Kan. – The McPherson College women’s basketball team fell, 81-48, against Bethel College Saturday night at Thresher Gymnasium.
The loss drops McPherson to 5-17 overall and 3-9 in KCAC action, while the Threshers improve to 13-9 overall and 7-5 in conference play.
Bethel blew the game wide open with a 15-2 run to open the second half. The run gave BC a 49-27 lead with 13:37 remaining. McPherson would attempt to chip away at the lead, but was struck by another cold spell midway through the period. The Bulldogs offensive struggled allowed the Threshers to extend its lead out to 35, 80-46 with 2:12 left in regulation.
BC would only score one point the rest of the way, but the lead proved too much as the Threshers picked up the 33 point victory.
Senior guard Kristen Ozbun (Rose Hill, Kan.) was the lone Bulldog in double figures with 10 points. McPherson finished the night shooting 29.7 percent (19-of-64) from the floor, 12.5 percent (2-of-16) from three-point range and 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from the foul stripe.
Bethel was led in scoring by Angela Wood, who tallied a game-high 15 points, while Jessica Muckenthaler tallied 13 points. Wood also paced the BC offense with five assists.
As a team, Bethel shot 38.6 percent (27-of-70) from the floor, while out-rebounding McPherson, 52-44.
The Bulldogs return to action on Thursday, February 3 when they play host to Friends University. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. inside the McPherson Sport Center.
