Women's Basketball | 2/23/2023 11:39:00 AM
(8) McPherson College (11-17, 8-14) at (1) Sterling College (24-1, 21-1)
Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023 | 7:00 PM | Gleason Center
https://kcacnetwork.com/mcpherson/
The McPherson College Bulldogs open the KCAC Postseason Tournament Thursday (Feb. 23) with a date with the top-seeded Sterling College Lady Warriors at the Gleason Center in Sterling, Kan.
SCOUTING THE LADY WARRIORS
Led by ninth-year head coach K.C. Bassett, Sterling enters Thursday's KCAC Tournament matchup ranked 20th with a record of 24-4 this season and 21-1 in KCAC play. The Lady Warriors are responsible for three of the top five scorers in the KCAC, paced by Karsen Schultz with a league-best 17.1 points per game. Taya Wilson is fourth in the conference with 14.6 points per game and ranks third with 9.1 rebounds per game.
The Lady Warriors are riding a 14-game winning streak, with their last loss coming on New Year's Eve to No. 25-ranked Mid-America Christian 83-77. Over that stretch, the Lady Warriors have an average margin of victory of 23.6 points, including back-to-back 30+ point wins in their last two games. Their lone KCAC loss came in the conference opener at home in a six-point setback to Tabor College.
THE SERIES VS. STERLIING
The Lady Warriors have dominated the series over the past ten seasons, owning a 17-4 record, and have won the last eight meetings. The Bulldogs have come close to knocking off the perennial KCAC power, with eight of those losses coming by ten points or less and one overtime loss.
LAST MEETING
The No. 24-ranked Sterling College Warriors forced 28 turnovers en route to a 72-58 win over the McPherson College Bulldogs inside the Sports Center. The Bulldogs hung tough through the first ten minutes, trailing 12-11 after the first quarter, but an 8-3 run to open the second quarter gave the Warriors the lead they would never relinquish. Leading 38-24 at the half, the Warriors ballooned their lead to as many as 21 points early in the third quarter. The Bulldogs made a push in the third when
Matisyn Moses sparked an 8-0 burst that included threes by
Jheda Kennedy and
Madelyn Hankins. But from there, the Warriors showed why they were the No. 24 ranked team in the country, halting the run and taking control. Hankins led the Bulldogs (8-15, 5-12 KCAC) with 14 points and three steals.
Dayjsha Fanning added 10 points and a career-high four takeaways.
Dy'mond McElrath dished a game-best six assists. Three Warriors scored in double-figures, with Bailey Albright leading the way with 16 points. Karsen Schultz added 15 points, nine rebounds, and six steals.
ALL-KCAC RECOGNITION
McPherson College senior
Dy'mond McElrath and freshman
Gillian Rodgers were named to the 2023 All-KCAC team, the league announced Wednesday (Feb. 22). McElrath earned third-team honors, and Rodgers was tabbed to the All-Freshman team.
McElrath, a Wichita, Kan. native, paced the Bulldogs with 11.5 points per game and led the KCAC with 3.9 assists per game. She also finished in the top ten in the league with 1.8 steals per contest. Rodgers had an outstanding first collegiate season, playing in 27 games and averaging 4.2 points per game. Her season was highlighted by a career-high 18 points in a game against Saint Mary where she shot 5-for-9 from the field and 8-for-10 from the charity stripe.
THREE OUT OF FOUR AIN'T BAD
The Bulldogs enter the contest winners of three of their last four games, with wins over York (75-65) and Southwestern (59-39) at home, and Bethel (66-60) in North Newton to clinch a berth in the KCAC Tournament.
A BULLDOG WIN WOULD...
... make them 12-17 on the season
... improve them to 3-10 on the road this season
... advance them to the KCAC Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2008
... snap an eight-game losing streak to the Lady Warriors
... be their fourth win in their last five games
