McPHERSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College basketball team fell to 1-1 overall with an 80-45 loss to No. 25 Haskell Indian Nations University on the opening night of the McPherson Classic on Friday at the Sport Center.
Haskell (3-1) hit early from 3-point range, using threes from Tyler Sumpter, Ember Sloan and Gia Davis to fuel an 11-0 run that turned a 6-6 tie into a 17-6 lead late in the first quarter. McPherson closed the quarter with a pair of Isabella Bacon free throws to cut the deficit to nine at the quarter break. Sumpter finished with nine of the Indians' 17 points in the frame and pulled down three rebounds.
The visitors from Lawrence continued to pad their lead in the second and third quarters, totaling 42 points while holding McPherson to just 18 - nine in each quarter - to take a 59-26 lead into the final stanza.
The Bulldogs were able to keep pace in the final quarter, scoring 19 points to Haskell's 21, but were never able to cut into the lead.
The Indians shot 44.9 percent (31-of-69) from the field and 41.4 percent (12-of-29) from 3-point range while collecting 24 steals off 29 Bulldog turnovers. Cerissa Honena-Reyes led all players with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting. She was also 6-of-11 from three point range and had three assists and three steals. Sumpter added 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, pulled down a team-high-tying six boards and had four steals. Tinaya Murphy added eight points off the bench, while Gia Davis had seven points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
McPherson was limited to 30.6 percent shooting, finishing 15-of-49 from the field. The Bulldogs also made just five of 21 3-pointers (23.8 percent) and were 10-of-19 at the charity stripe (52.6 percent).
Victoria Gonzalez (Keller, Texas) led the team with seven points, while
Amanda Allen (Edmond, Okla.) and
Brooklyn Coe (Corvallis, Ore.) added six points and four rebounds apiece.
Cami Richardson (Hesston, Kan.) was the Bulldogs' top rebounder with eight, while
Danielle Holt (Glenpool, Okla.) added seven.
The Bulldogs return to the court at 4 p.m. Saturday to face Bacone College on day two of the McPherson Classic. Haskell opens the day with a 12 noon matchup with Kansas Wesleyan University, a 78-65 victor over Bacone earlier on Friday.
