Women's Basketball Pushes Past OKWU With Late Rally

McPHERSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College women's basketball team improved to 6-2 overall and 2-1 in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) with a 65-60 win over Oklahoma Wesleyan University on Tuesday at the Sport Center.
 
McPherson shot 44.4 percent from the field in the first quarter, but Oklahoma Wesleyan (5-4, 1-2 KCAC) hit three 3-pointers in the frame to grab a 17-12 advantage. The Bulldogs scored the first five points of the second quarter, tying the game on an Isabella Bacon (Sapulpa, Okla., Sapulpa HS) 3-pointer with 7:07 to play in the half. The Eagles responded with a 17-6 run over the next five minutes to build the lead to 11 points at 34-23. McPherson was able to cut into the lead slightly as OKWU led 36-29 at the half.
 
The Bulldogs responded in the third quarter, opening the frame with a 10-2 run and taking a 39-38 lead on a layup by Danielle Holt (Glenpool, Okla., Glenpool HS). Sarah Short hit a pair of free throws and Kori Dyer made a layup to put the Eagles back in front, only to see Amanda Allen (Edmond, Okla., Edmond Santa Fe HS) hit back-to-back jumpers and a free throw to give McPherson a 44-42 lead with 2:24 to play. The Bulldogs outscored the Eagles, 21-6, in the quarter to take a 50-42 lead headed to the final stanza. Allen finished with nine points in the quarter and Holt added eight.
 
The Eagles opened the fourth with eight straight points as Kayla Morgan hit a 3-pointer and Shelbie Kirby got a steal under the OKWU hoop and converted the easy layup. Patience Gitau followed with a free throw and a layup to tie the score at 50-50 with 7:05 to play. After momentarily giving up the lead, McPherson built a three-point advantage with 4:21 to play on a layup by Cami Richardson (Hesston, Kan., Hesston HS). Oklahoma Wesleyan bounced back with seven straight points to jump in front 60-56 with 2:54 remaining behind two free throws each by Kirby and Amanda Hart and another three from Morgan. The Bulldogs scored the final nine points keyed by five from Holt.
 
Holt and Richardson each finished a game-high 13 points, while Allen added 11 points to lead McPherson.  Holt, Allen and Brooke Racette (Hutchinson, Kan., Trinity Catholic HS) each pulled down six rebounds. Richardson, who was 8-of-10 at charity stripe, added five boards, three assists and a block. Brooklyn Coe (Corvallis, Ore., Chemeketa CC) had nine points, three assists and a pair of rebounds, while Maressah Milum (Douglas, Kan., Independence CC) had seven points and three rebounds.
 
Morgan and Tiffany Rieger both had 11 points and four rebounds for Oklahoma Wesleyan, while Hart added nine. All of Rieger's points came in the first half.
 
As was the case against Bethany and Kansas Wesleyan, McPherson kept the overall rebounding totals close but came up short on the offensive boards. The Eagles outrebounded the Bulldogs, 13-6, on the offensive glass, resulting in a 16-3 advantage in second-chance points.
 
McPherson held a dominating edge (38-18) in points in the paint, mainly due to Oklahoma Wesleyan's dependence on the 3-pointer. The Bulldogs were more efficient with their shots, shooting 46.8 percent (22-of-47) from the field, while the Eagles were just 18-of-61 overall and 8-of-30 from 3-point range.
 
"I feel like that was our best effort offensively and defensively all year," said head coach Gordon Reimer. "It was nice to see two more folks step up and provide scoring for us. I really like the balance we're showing."
 
The Bulldogs are idle from competition over the Thanksgiving break, returning to the court on Thursday, Dec. 1 with a KCAC matchup at Bethel College in North Newton, Kan. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m.