Women's Basketball | 1/6/2012 1:51:00 PM
Game 16: McPherson College (8-7, 3-2) at RV Friends University (11-6, 5-0)
Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012 | 5 p.m. | Garvey Center | Wichita, Kan.
Game Notes (PDF)
Live Video
Live Audio
McPherson, Kan. - The McPherson College women’s basketball team returns to action on Saturday night, as the Bulldogs take on receiving votes Friends University in Wichita, Kan. Tip off for the contest between the Bulldogs and Falcons is scheduled for 5 p.m. (CT) at the Garvey Center.
Saturday’s game will be streamed live via the KCAC Broadcast Network, while radio coverage is provided by 96.7 FM KBBE MidKansas Radio. In addition, a live audio stream will be available on Macbulldogs.com.
McPherson enters the weekend with an 8-7 record (3-2 KCAC) following a 94-53 loss to receiving votes Southwestern College on Thursday. The Bulldogs proved unable to slow the Southwestern offensive attack, as the Lady Builders shot 50.0 percent (31-of-62) from the field, including a school record 17 3-pointers. Elice Frey posted a team-high 13 points and six rebounds, while Brittany Pittas scored 11 points off the bench for the Bulldogs.
The Falcons currently rest atop the KCAC with a 5-0 record following a 64-60 win at Bethel College. The victory against the Threshers gives Friends seven wins in their last eight games en route to an 11-6 overall record. FU’s lone loss during the stretch came on Dec. 31 when they lost at Missouri Valley, 76-65.
After the Falcons, McPherson returns home for a game against Kansas Wesleyan University. The Coyotes are currently 9-7 overall and 4-1 in KCAC play.
Scouting Friends
The Falcons enter the weekend with an 11-6 overall record, only four wins shy of last season’s total of 14, and a perfect 5-0 record in conference play. Friends, who saw their six-game winning streak snapped at Missouri Valley on Dec. 31 (76-65), took control of the top spot in conference with a 64-60 road victory at Bethel on Thursday night. Prior to the Threshers, the Falcons other KCAC victories came against Southwestern, Bethany, Saint Mary and Ottawa.
Against Bethel, Friends overcame a dismal 33.9 percent (20-of-59) field goal percentage by forcing a season-high 35 Thresher turnovers en route to the four-point victory. Additionally, the Falcons outscored Bethel 20-15 at the free throw line. Guard Abby Fawcett scored a game-high 21 points for the Falcons, while center Abril Marshall added 15 points of the bench.
Similarly to last season, Friends has emerged as one of the top defensive teams in the conference and nation, ranking amongst the top 25 nationally in turnover margin (5.4), total steals (194), scoring defense per game (59.6) and steals per game (11.4).
Offensively, FU averages 66.6 points per game, while shooting 38.9 percent from the field as a team.
Fawcett paces the Friends offense at 17.9 points per game, while also leading the team in 3-point field goals (39), free throws (58), assists (40) and steals (47). She owns nine games of at least 20 points, including a season-high 32-point effort against Oklahoma Wesleyan on Oct. 31.
In addition to Fawcett, Marshall has emerged as a force off the bench for the Falcons. She is averaging 17.3 points and 6.3 rebounds over her last four games, including a season-high 22 points on Dec. 10 against Southwestern College.
The Falcons are coached by RaeAnne Boothe, who is in her second season.
In their last meeting...
McPherson, Kan. (02/03/11) – The Bulldogs struggled offensively shooting just 23.9 percent (16-of-67) from the field, as the McPherson College women’s basketball team dropped its second straight, 65-47, Thursday night against Friends University.
The loss drops MC to 5-18 overall and 3-10 in conference play, while the Falcons improve to 13-10 overall and 8-5 in KCAC action.
Along with poor shooting, McPherson turned the ball over 26 times, which the Falcons converted into 20 points. The two teams were deadlocked at 49 rebounds apiece.
Friends used a 15-3 run, including 11 points from guard Ta’vionna Polley-Davis, to open the game. McPherson, with six points coming from freshman forward Natasha Chaney (Gardner, Kan.), utilized an 8-0 run of their own to cut the deficit to four, 11-15. However, the Falcon offense again rattled off another big run to extend its lead to 27-12 with 4:23 remaining in the period. Each side would tack on a few addition baskets as the Falcons entered the locker room with a 35-17 advantage.
The Bulldogs connected on a dismal 19.4 percent (7-of-36) from the field, while turning the ball over 12 times in the half. Chaney led MC in scoring with six points.
The opening of the second period proved not much kinder, as McPherson mustered just one field goal in the first 10 minutes leading the their largest deficit of the game, 50-19.
The Bulldogs would begin to show some life after Chaney connected on a pair of free throws and Kristen Ozbun (Rose Hill, Kan.) converted a traditional three-point play. McPherson continued the momentum to the tune of a 21-3 run midway through the period to pull within 15, 40-55.
However, Friends proved too strong down the stretch matching MC basket for basket the rest of the way.
The Falcons were led in scoring by Polly-Davis, who tallied a game-high 20 points to lead three Falcons in double figures. As a team, FU shot 37.1 percent from the floor and 81.0 percent from the free throw line.
The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday when they travel to Southwestern College. Tipoff is currently slated for 5:00 p.m
