McPHERSON, Kan. --- McPherson College erased a 12-point halftime deficit but could not come up with the victory as the Bulldogs dropped a 71-62 decision, in overtime, to rival Kansas Wesleyan University in a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) matchup Wednesday night at the Sport Center.
The Coyotes (13-7, 8-4 KCAC), who were receiving votes in the most recent NAIA Division II Coaches' Top 25, got off to a quick start. The visitors led 12-5 near the midway point of the first quarter.after Sydney Mortensen drained 3-pointers on consecutive possessions. The Bulldogs (11-10, 6-7 KCAC) were able to counter, cutting the lead to three on a handful of occasions, but could get no closer in the quarter. KWU pushed the lead to eight on a basket by Gabbie Miller with 1:40 to play. McPherson scored five of the last seven points of the quarter to cut the Coyote lead to 23-18 after one.
Baskets by
Kristina Battle (Houston, Texas, Austin HS) and
Cami Richardson (Hesston, Kan., Hesston HS) to open the second quarter made it a one-point game. Richardson scored McPherson's next four points on a hoop and a pair of free throws but Mortensen fired back with a pair of 3-pointers to keep KWU in the lead by a 29-26 score with 7:06 left in the half. The Coyotes would outscore the Bulldogs, 11-2, the rest of the quarter to take a 40-28 halftime lead. The lone McPherson points during the stretch came on a layup by
Victoria Gonzalez (Keller, Texas, Keller HS) with 4:18 remaining.
The Bulldogs started well in the third quarter, scoring the first five points to slice the Coyote lead to seven. Kansas Wesleyan responded with a 9-2 run capped by a pair of Mariah Knox free throws to push the lead to 14 with 4:10 left in the quarter. Richardson ended the run with a 3-pointer, sparking a 7-0 McPherson run to close out the period.
McPherson chipped away at the lead throughout the fourth quarter, finally moving in front on a basket in the paint by Richardson with 1:26 to play. Richardson drained a pair of free throws to extend the Bulldog lead to three only to see Maddie Miller hit a shot at the other end to keep it a one-point game. The Bulldogs missed a chance to extend the lead when Battle was unable to connect on a 3-pointer and the Coyotes took advantage as Karlie Steinle hit the first of two foul shots with 19 seconds to play. Steinle missed the second free throw and a chance to put KWU ahead. McPherson took a timeout to advance the ball into the front court but the ensuing inbounds pass went out of bounds without being touched. The Coyotes followed with a timeout, allowing them to advance the ball and set up a potential game-winning shot at the other end. KWU ended up with not one, but two chances at the win in regulation, but a Mortensen 3-pointer missed as did an attempt by Maddie Miller and the game went to overtime.
Kansas Wesleyan took control in the extra session, outscoring McPherson by a 13-4 margin behind a 9-of-12 performance at the free throw line. The Bulldogs hit just one of nine shots from the field. All four of McPherson's points came from Richardson.
Kansas Wesleyan shot 44.4 percent (16-of-36) from the field with six 3-pointers in the first half but struggled mightily in the second half, being held to just five field goals including a trey in the second half and overtime. The Coyotes made up for their shooting woes by going 20-of-29 at the free throw line in the game's final 25 minutes. KWU also held a slim 48-44 edge on the boards, including an 18-11 advantage on the offensive glass.
Mortensen drained five 3-pointers en route to a team-high 15 points, leading four Coyotes in double figures. Maddie Miller added 13 points and nine rebounds, Karlie Steinle had 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists and Gabbie Miller finished with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Brylee New just missed a double-double with nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal, while Mariah Knox scored eight points - all at the line - and had seven rebounds.
Like KWU, McPherson shot well in the first half. The Bulldogs hit 11 of 24 shots (45.8 percent) from the field and hit six of nine free throws but were unsuccessful on five 3-point attempts. In the second half and OT, McPherson shot just 10-of-36 (27.8 percent) and were 4-of-16 (25.0 percent) from behind the arc but did connect on 10 of 14 free throws.
Richardson finished with a game-high 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers. She also knocked down all six of her free throw attempts, had five rebounds, four steals, two assists and a blocked shot. Battle added 15 points and five rebounds, while
Brooke Zimmerman (Aurora, Colo., Western Nebraska CC) had seven points and seven rebounds and Gonzalez had seven points, eight rebounds, five blocked shots and three assists.
The Bulldogs close out a stretch of three KCAC games in six days Saturday with a trip to Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Tipoff from Bartlesville, Oklahoma will be 3 p.m. McPherson won the first meeting between the schools, 65-60, on Nov. 22 at the Sport Center.Â
