Photo by Micah Gilbert
North Newton, Kan. – The McPherson College women's basketball team wrapped up 2019 with a big road win, 79-51, over the Bethel College Threshers.
The Bulldogs moved to 9-6, 5-4 in the KCAC, led by standout individual performances from Maison Moseley (So. Woodward, Okla.), and Brittany Roberts (Jr. Mansfield, Texas). Roberts got the Bulldogs started in the first half, leading all scorers at the break with 14 points. She cooled off a bit in the second frame, but still finished with 21 points. She also hauled in 11 rebounds to record her 12th double of the double of the season, which is tops in both the KCAC and the NAIA.
Moseley had six points at the break, but exploded in the second half with 19 to finish with career high 25 points. She was 8 of 12 from the floor, including 1 of 2 from deep, and was a perfect 8 for 8 from the free throw line. She was especially clutch down the stretch, scoring 12 of the Bulldogs' final 15 points in the fourth quarter.
The Threshers scored the first bucket of the game, but that would be the only lead they would have in the game. The Bulldogs went on a 10-1 run to and ended the opening quarter with a 16-9 lead. The Threshers got back on track in the second quarter, but the Bulldogs still won the period 14-13, extending their overall lead to 30-22 heading into the intermission.
After the break, the Bulldogs led by as many 11 points midway through the 3rd quarter, but late in the period, the Threshers went on an 11 to 3 run to trim the Bulldog lead down to 2, 44-42 with less than a minute remaining. With the Threshers having seized the momentum, Britney Jarvis (Jr. Imperial, Calif.), hit a huge three pointer in the Bulldogs' final possession of the quarter, to give them a five point cushion heading into the final ten minutes of play.
Three-fourths of the final quarter went back and forth. The Bulldog lead hovered between four and eight points until the 2:35 mark when a Moseley lay-up put them up by 10, 62-52. It became a free throw shooting contest down the stretch, which hasn't been a strength of the Bulldogs thus far this season. On this night however, the Bulldogs 9 of 10 from the stripe in the final two minutes of the game, closing out the Threshers on their home court by a 12 point margin.
Coach Nichols called Wednesday's win "A great way to end the semester!" He added, "Brittany had a monster first half to get us going and Maison finished it off. Those two played big for us tonight. We continue to see Tatum and Kenajah grow up and make a big impact. Elle and Britney Jarvis shot the ball well to keep Bethel at arms' length. I am proud of the effort and at the mid-point of the season I'm very pleased."
 The Bulldogs will get a little time off for the holidays. They will report back to campus between Christmas and New Year to get ready for their first game of 2020 on January 4 against the Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes.
MAC (79) – Moseley (25), Roberts (21), Jarvis (8), Gillen (6), Griffin (5), Branscum (2), Hurst (2), Upchurch (2).
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