McPherson, Kan. – In a very physical game, the McPherson College women's basketball team stayed strong and triumphed over Bethel College 65-57. MC is now 4-19 overall and 3-8 in the KCAC.
The Lady 'Dogs trailed early but never by more than a bucket or two; they took the lead midway through the half and on a 17-2 run that spanned seven minutes, went up 12 with just a few to play in the opening half. After trading baskets the rest of the way, Mac headed into the locker room up 38-29. MC went a solid 14-of-30 from the floor; they made 3-of-7 from downtown and all seven from the charity stripe. Bethel connected on 10-of-28 field goals with two coming from range; they also hit seven free throws but attempted 11. McPherson Bailey Brown scored 20 in the first 20 minutes, accounting for over half of the Bulldogs' points; she was 7-of-8 from the floor and a perfect 4-of-4 from the line.
It was a back-and-forth contest for most of the second period with Mac getting ahead by as many as 15; heading into the final 10 minutes of the game, the 'Dogs held a 10-point advantage. BC inched closer and closer as the game winded down but McPherson stayed resilient and held off the aggressive Thresher team for the eight-point win, 65-57. The Bulldogs dropped 8-of-26 from the field with just 2-of-10 coming from behind the arc; they made 9-of-13 foul shots. Bethel made 10-of-35 including 3-of-13 from distance; they made 50% of their 10 free throws.
Mac ended the night making 22-of-56 from the floor, 39.3%; they were 5-of-17 from deep and 16-of-20 from the stripe. The team grabbed 42 rebounds with 13 coming on the offensive side of the floor; the 'Dogs had 20 turnovers, 15 assists, 12, steals, and an incredible 10 blocks. 46 of McPherson's point total were scored in the paint.
Brown only scored four points in the second half, finishing the game with a game-high 24; she was 8-of-13 from the field and 6-of-7 from the foul line. The junior pulled in four rebounds and led the team in assists with four; the 5-4 guard also had a pair of blocks. Georgia Smart scored nine and also had five rebounds. Whitney Jefferson added nine points to the cause including a three-ball late that sealed the game for the 'Dogs. Alicia Demaret bucketed 3-of-4 field goals, pulled down five defensive rebounds, and blocked away four shots.
MC will attempt to keep the winning streak alive on Saturday as they travel to RV Kansas Wesleyan University; tipoff for the January 31st contest is set for 5:00 p.m. (CT)
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McPherson College is a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference member school and a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
