McPHERSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- Freshman
Cami Richardson (Hesston, Kan.) posted a 21-point, 12-rebound double-double in just her third collegiate game to lead the McPherson College women's basketball team to a 66-56 win over Bacone College on Saturday at the McPherson Classic.
Tied 12-12 after one quarter, the Bulldogs (2-1) outscored the Warriors, 23-16, in the second. It wasn't until the final 90 seconds, though, that McPherson began to put distance between themselves and their visitors.
Bacone grabbed a one-point lead on a layup by Asya Tims with 1:21 to play, but
Isabella Bacon (Sapulpa, Okla.) drained threes on consecutive trips down the court to turn a one-point deficit into a five-point lead. After another missed shot by Bacone,
Kristina Battle (Houston, Texas) made a layup with 13 seconds left to send the teams into the locker room with McPherson leading 35-28.
McPherson scored the first six points of the second half on back-to-back hoops by Richardson and a basket by
Brooke Racette (Hutchinson, Kan.). The lead grew to as many as 17 when Racette added another basket at the 1:00 mark to make it 53-36. Bacone scored twice in the final minute to cut the advantage to just 13 after three quarters.
The Warriors were able to make small runs in the fourth and cut the lead to 10 with 5:50 to play, but the Bulldogs responded with a 7-0 run over the next two minutes behind five points from Richardson to take the lead back to 17.
After the teams traded baskets to make it 66-49, Bacone scored the game's final seven points to make it a 10-point margin at the end.
Richardson finished 9-of-12 from the field while draining one of two 3-pointers and nailing both of her free throws. She also had three assists, two steals and a blocked shot in 38 minutes.
Overall, the Bulldogs had a commanding 57-36 edge on the boards led by Richardson,
Danielle Holt (Glenpool, Okla.) and
Brooke Zimmerman (Aurora, Colo.). Holt and Zimmerman each had nine rebounds and two points.
Battle added 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting with four boards, two assists and a steal, while
Brooklyn Coe (Corvallis, Ore.) had nine points and Racette eight.
The Bulldogs shot 41.5 percent from the field and made just three 3-pointers, but were 9-of-10 at the free throw line.
Three Warriors finished in double figures, led by Cierra Miles with 13 points and Bailey Scarberry and Ashley Barry-Wallace with 10 each. Miles also had a team-high six rebounds and three steals, while Barry-Wallace had a game-high five thefts.
As a team, Bacone (0-2) shot just 30.3 percent from the field and struggled to 11-of-26 shooting at the charity stripe.
McPherson returns to the hardwood on Wednesday, Nov. 9, with a game at crosstown rival Central Christian College. Tipoff in the first half of the women's-men's doubleheader is 6 p.m.
