McPHERSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- McPherson College fell to the University of Saint Mary, 66-60, in overtime Thursday in a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) women's basketball game at the Sport Center Thursday.
McPherson (12-15, 7-12 KCAC) got off to a quick 4-0 start, forcing USM head coach Bruce Erickson to take a timeout just 93 seconds into the game. The Spires (15-11, 13-6 KCAC) responded with seven in a row – the first four by Imani White - as the Bulldogs missed four consecutive shots from the field.
The run was broken by a running layup by
Brooklyn Coe (Corvallis, Ore., Chemeketa CC). Fouled on the play, Coe completed the 3-point play to tie the game at 7.
Layups by
Danielle Holt (Glenpool, Okla., Glenpool HS) and
Kristina Battle (Houston, Texas, Austin HS) and 3-pointers by
Brooke Racette (Hutchinson, Kan., Trinity Catholic HS) and
RJ Kuhn (Windsor, Colo., Lamar CC) fueled a 10-2 McPherson run to put the Bulldogs up 17-9 with 2:13 to play in the opening quarter.
Saint Mary finished the frame on a 7-2 run capped by a Candy De Los Reyes layup along the baseline as the clock expired to cut the lead to 19-16.
The Bulldogs opened the second quarter on layups by
Emma Van Donselaar (Shawnee, Kan., Shawnee Mission West HS), Holt and Coe – outscoring the Spires, 6-0, over the first 4:38 -- to push the lead to nine points at 25-16, before Imani White hit a pair of free throws to make it 25-18. The Spires missed their first 11 shots from the field in the quarter before Kelsey Switzer hit a shot with 3:17 to play. The basket came as part of a 6-0 run that knocked the lead down to three points just inside the 3:00 mark.
McPherson finished the half on a 10-3 run, extending the lead to 11 points on a Kuhn 3-pointer before Christi Holt sank one of two free throws to send the Bulldogs to halftime holding a 35-25 advantage.
Saint Mary opened the second half with a 10-2 run, cutting the lead to 37-35 before Battle hit a long jumper from the top of the key. After a layup by Gabby Hacker, White tied the game by hitting an off-balance jump. Fouled on the play, she hit the ensuing free throw to put the Spires up 40-39.
Candy De Los Reyes scored on a fast-break layup to extend the lead to three, only to see Kuhn tie the game on a 3-pointer from the corner. Coe followed with a layup along the baseline, allowing the Bulldogs to re-take the lead. De Los Reyes hit a free throw with 50 seconds to play in the quarter to make it a one-point game headed to the fourth quarter.
Both teams struggled from the floor in the final quarter, combining to shoot just 4-of-24 from the floor. Saint Mary was just 1-of-12, but more than made up for it by connecting on eight of 12 opportunities from the charity stripe. McPherson was 3-of-12 from the field, but was limited to just 2-of-2 shooting from the free throw line.
A De Los Reyes free throw with 4:48 remaining in regulation tied the game at 48, but Kuhn hit her fourth 3-pointer of the game on the Bulldogs' next trip down the floor to give the hosts a late edge. After White and Van Donselaar traded baskets, Switzer hit a pair of free throws with 2:08 left to cut the McPherson lead to one. White tied the game with 55 seconds left after hitting the first of two free throws. She missed on the second attempt and the carom was hauled in by Van Donselaar.
Cami Richardson (Hesston, Kan., Hesston HS) and De Los Reyes each had chances for the game-winning basket, but neither was able to connect and the game went to overtime after De Los Reyes' attempt failed to hit the mark.
The Spires took over in the extra session, scoring nine of the first 11 points to lead by seven with just 1:27 to play. Saint Mary went 7-of-9 at the free throw line in overtime to help put the game out of reach.
Saint Mary shot just 27.0 percent (17-of-63) from the field and 18.2 percent (4-of-22) from 3-point range, but won the game at the free throw line where the Spires were successful on 28 of 38 opportunities. McPherson had the better shooting percentages from the field -- 36.4 percent (24-of-66) overall and 25.0 percent (6-of-24) from 3-point range - but was just 6-of-10 at the line, including 1-of-5 in overtime.
White led the Spires with 21 points. She was 11-of-13 from the line, pulled down seven rebounds, blocked four shots, and had two assists and a steal. De Los Reyes added 18 points and 11 rebounds. She was 5-of-16 from the field and 1-of-8 from 3-point range, but made seven of 10 shots at the line. Switzer was the third USM player in double figures. She had 13 points - nine at the line - to go with six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Gabby Hacker also had seven rebounds for Saint Mary.
Four Bulldogs finished in double figures, led by Holt and Kuhn with 12 points apiece. Holt also had 11 rebounds and two steals before fouling out late. Kuhn added two boards, to assists and two steals. Coe and Van Donselaar each added 11 points, with Van Donselaar adding six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a blocked shot. Coe had five rebounds. Richardson had her second straight sub-par shooting night, finishing with just four points on 2-of-11 shooting. She did add five assists, four rebounds and a steal.
McPherson, which finishes the regular season with three of its final four games at home, entertains York College (1-24, 1-18 KCAC) on Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 3 p.m. The Bulldogs won the initial meeting, 62-57, on Jan. 5 in York, Nebraska. Winless at the time, the Panthers hung close well into the fourth quarter before the Bulldogs were able to pull away.
McPherson currently sits one game back of Oklahoma Wesleyan for the eighth and final spot in the KCAC Tournament.
Live video and stats can be found at macbulldogs.com/gamecast. Matt Cole and Steve Sell will have the radio call, which can be found on 96.7 FM KBBE in the McPherson area or online at midkansasradio.com.
