McPherson, Kan. – With the end of their regular schedule approaching, the Bulldogs were back at home after three straight road games to host the Warriors of Sterling College. Both teams looked to bounce back in the final week of the regular season after losses to KCAC opponents on the weekend.
The Basics
Location: Holman Fieldhouse
Score: MC 79, SC 83
Records: MC 8-19 (KCAC 3-18), SC 17-10 (KCAC 13-8)
How it Happened
The opening quarter was tightly contested, with both teams scoring 17 points.
Mikah Hammerquist opened the scoring for the Bulldogs with a three-pointer, but Bailey Young quickly answered with one of her own for Sterling. McPherson went on to shoot 38% from the floor in the period, hitting one shot from beyond the arc and going a perfect 4-4 from the free-throw line. In the late stages, it appeared the Bulldogs would carry a two-point lead into the second, but a late foul by
Isabella Rosa sent Kali Briar to the line where she converted both free throws to even the game for the Warriors.
Sterling held a slight edge in the second frame, outscoring McPherson by one point.
Maizen Gillam led the Bulldogs with a dominant quarter scoring 14 points after shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from deep and 5-of-6 from the field, plus converting McPherson's only free-throw attempt of the period. Once again, the Bulldogs' lead would be wiped away by the Warriors who capitalized at the line in the closing moments of the half, sinking both attempts to take a 46-45 lead into the break.
The third quarter was all Sterling as they were finally able to put some separation between themselves and McPherson. The Warriors shot over 50% in the quarter putting up 25 points. Despite out-shooting Sterling from beyond the arc and the charity stripe, McPherson shot just 4-15 from the field and headed into the final frame down 71-60.
It was McPherson's turn to gain the momentum in the final quarter as the Bulldogs outplayed Sterling. McPherson battled back to within one possession in the final minute, but another late foul sent the Warriors to the free-throw line, where they converted both attempts to put the game out of reach for the Bulldogs. During their comeback push, McPherson shot 44% from the field and scored 19 points in the quarter, but ultimately fell 83-79 at the final horn.
Maizen Gillam delivered another 20-plus point performance, leading the Bulldogs with 28 points on 10-19 shooting including six three-pointers. Meanwhile,
Margaret Ajayi recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Up Next
McPherson will close out the season at Holman Fieldhouse on Saturday when they host Oklahoma Wesleyan for Senior Night. Tip-off is at 1:00 PM.
