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McPherson, Kan. – On a special Tuesday night of Bulldog basketball, the McPherson College women's basketball team is hosting Oklahoma Wesleyan University in the final KCAC game before the New Year. Tipoff for the contest is set for 6:00 p.m. (CT) It is Community Appreciation Night in the Sport Center so all Bulldog fans get free admission.
Scouting McPherson
After starting the KCAC season with a back-to-back wins, the Lady 'Dogs have gone into a slump. First they were hit with the heartbreaking losses, two by less than three total points, but in their last two games MC has faced some hot-shooting teams, as was the case in their most recent competition coming against KCAC No. 1 Tabor College this past Saturday.
Last Time Out – There wasn't a whole lot that went right for the Bulldogs in the first quarter against TC as they trailed 20-9 after shooting 14.3% from the floor and recording seven turnovers. The second was an improvement but MC still struggled hitting shots and that was not the case for the home team Bluejays who headed into the locker room up 40-23. McPherson trailed by 20+ for nearly the entire third period and then kept things under 30 points in the final quarter, cumulating in a 79-56 defeat. Mac knocked down just 16-of-55 from the floor, 29.1%, with 3-of-13 threes; they made just 21-of-35 from the charity stripe. The 'Dogs had 41 rebounds with 19 coming on the offensive side of the court; they also recorded 16 turnovers, five steals, and just three assists.
Ashton Bruner led all scoring with 16 points on 6-of-17 field goals and just 4-of-13 from the line; she also grabbed 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the year. Bailey Brown scored 12 with the majority coming from the charity stripe where she was a perfect 8-of-8; the senior made 2-of-8 from the floor. Kristina Battle added eight points to the cause while Brooke Racette and Taryn Lee each tallied seven points.
Year at a Glance – The Bulldogs are averaging a conference fifth best 65.7 points a game but allow 70.4 for a negative 4.7 scoring margin. The team knocks down 39.3% from the floor, third in the league, but net a poor 26.6 percent from range; their 68.4 free throw percentage is fourth in the KCAC. They pull down over 40 rebounds a night and have a positive rebounding margin of 4.9, both are second in the conference. Mac also averages 20.0 turnovers, 11.2 assists, 8.2 steals, and 3.3 blocks every time they touch the court.
Brown, who has led the team in scoring for nearly every game this season, has scored 203 points on the year, 19th highest in the NAIA D-II; she has made an impressive 83-of-99 free throws and also averages nearly five rebounds a game. Bruner, a McPherson native, is next on the scoring list at 12.3ppg and is also the top 'Dog in rebounds with 107 on the year for an 8.9 average; her 6.8 defensive rebound average is 18th in the nation. Georgia Smart scores 7.8 points each game she's on the court and also tallies 4.5 rebounds.
The Lady Bulldogs will have their last home game of 2015 on Thursday the 17th against Southwestern Christian University, tipping off at 5:30 p.m. It is Cedars Night in the Sport Center as McPherson College welcomes all residents of the Cedars to the game for free.
Scouting Oklahoma Wesleyan
The Lady Eagles, who were picked second in the preseason KCAC polls and were nationally ranked No. 13 in the NAIA preseason poll, started both the regular season and the conference season with back-to-back wins; unfortunately for OKWU, they only won one additional game in those seasons thus far. Their record sits at 6-6 on the year and 3-3 in the KCAC. The team's league losses have come against the hot-handed Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes, defensive juggernaut Friends University, and Nationally ranked Tabor College last Thursday.
Last Time Out – Oklahoma Wesleyan trailed for most of the first quarter but used a late run to take a 19-18 lead into the second. The home team Bluejays led for most of the second period and led 33-30 at the break. The third quarter was very close, leaving the door open for either team in the final period. The Eagles had a rough 10 minutes of shooting as they went just 3-of-15 which resulted in losing the game 75-60. OKWU shot 41.7% for the contest, 25-of-60, with just 4-of-20 threes finding the bottom of the net; they made six of their ten free throws. The team grabbed 34 rebounds and allowed TC to get 17 off the offensive glass; the Eagles also had 15 turnovers, five assists, and five steals.
Three Oklahoma Wesleyan players scored 10 points in the loss. Shelbie Kirby, who entered the game from the bench, went 5-of-9 from the floor for her total while Kayla Morgan and Cheyenne Been each netted four field goals including a three-point bucket. Yessenia Hernandez led the team in rebounds with eight; the guard also had six points and six turnovers in a team-high 30 minutes on the court.
Year at a Glance – OKWU's offense has been humming most of the season, though they've stalled in the final quarter in a few games as of late. They rank first in the league in scoring offense at 78.7 points a night; however, they are last in scoring defense at 76.7ppg. The Eagles make 40.6% from the floor, second in the league, and drop in 32.2% from range. The three-point field goals is something that Oklahoma Wesleyan knows a lot about as they shoot a KCAC-high 27.9 a night; they average 9.0 makes, also atop the conference and good enough for eighth in the nation. There are a lot of long rebounds to be had when you shoot that many shots from behind the arc; OKWU pulls in 46.3 rebounds each time out, eighth highest in the NAIA D-II. The team also records 17.2 turnovers, 14.4 assists, 5.9 steals, and 1.4 blocks per contest; their assist mark is the best in the league.
Susan Ageson is one of three players to have started each game and leads the team in scoring this season with her 14.9 average; the senior forward has made a team-high 71 field goals and also tops the Eagles in rebounds a night with 8.0. Been also hits double-digits on average at 10.8; she is the top three-point shooter for OKWU with 34 makes on the season. Both Morgan and Courtney Robinson average in the nine-point range while Patience Gitau comes in at 8.9ppg.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University will travel to Muskogee, Oklahoma for their next outing which is to be against Bacone College
