[Women's Basketball] SAU drops two games at Viterbo NAIA Showcase

St. Ambrose lost a pair of games at the Viterbo NAIA Showcase, falling to Viterbo 66-55 Saturday and Midland 82-75 Sunday.

The losses dropped the Bees to 1-4 on the year.

Against the host V-Hawks, SAU struggled offensively shooting just 31.7 percent for the game. The struggles started early as the Bees hit just 5-of-16 shots in both the first and second quarters as Viterbo built a 35-25 halftime lead.

After falling behind by 12 points in the first minute of the third quarter, St. Ambrose ran off a 10-0 run. Reeann McCarty, Charlotte Flynn, Hailey Cook, Mercedes Jackson and Aubrie Carlisle each scored during the spurt that brought the Bees to within 37-35. That would be as close as St. Ambrose would get in the second half of a game in which they never led.

Viterbo reclaimed an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. SAU rallied to get within five points twice, both times on Cook jumpers, but each time the V-Hawks had the answer.

The Bees' last charge came with 1:34 left when two Gabrielle Koelker free throws trimmed the lead to 59-53, but Viterbo scored the next five points to close out the win.

McCarty was the lone Bee to reach double figures, finishing with 11 points. She also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. Cook finished with eight points and eight boards, and Madi Epperson and Candace Finnin each scored seven points.