[Women's Basketball] Women's Basketball bounces back from slow start to get by Ottawa 61-53

The Kansas Wesleyan women's eight-game winning streak appeared to be in jeopardy midway through their game Wednesday night.

 

Yes, they had a two-point lead over a scrappy Ottawa team at halftime, but the first half had been a struggle – 35 percent shooting that included 0 of 10 from 3-point range and 3 of 10 shooting from the foul line.

 

There also was the absence of starting point guard Haleigh Bradford (JR/Schertz, Texas), who was on the bench in street clothes with an ankle injury suffered Saturday against Saint Mary.

 

Just as they have most of the season, though, the Coyotes found a way prevail, and it was Amanda Hill (SO/Rossville, Kan.) and Lauren Flowers (FR/Overland Park, Kan.)' turn to step in the limelight. Hill, a sophomore forward, and Flowers, a freshman center, came off the bench and fueled a third-quarter surge that carried the Coyotes to a hard-fought 61-53 Kansas Conference victory at Mabee Arena.

 

The victory, coupled with Sterling's 70-68 loss to Bethel, vaulted KWU into second place in the conference standings with a 17-2 record, half a game behind Tabor (18-2), which edged Bethany 54-53 in Lindsborg on Wednesday.

 

Hill scored nine of her game-high 15 points and Flowers had four of her eight points in the third quarter as the Coyotes outscored Ottawa 17-9 after leading just 27-25 at halftime. Hill and Flowers also had four steals apiece for the game.

 

"The third quarter I thought Amanda Hill was just lights out offensively," Wesleyan coach Ryan Showman said. "Lauren went in and made some big plays and was really doing things that freshmen aren't supposed to do. It's a tribute to our depth that makes us so tough."

 

The Coyotes (19-6 overall) stretched the lead to 51-37 with 7½ minutes left in the game, but Ottawa, which had two freshmen and two sophomores in the starting lineup, responded with an 11-2 run and trailed 53-48 following a Brooke Barron 3-pointer with 3:10 remaining.

 

Gabbie Miller (SR/Kiefer, Okla.)'s layup following an Ottawa turnover and Courtney Heinen (JR/Axtell, Kan.)'s only 3-point basket of the game with 1:29 left pushed the lead back to 58-51 with 1:29 left. Ottawa (7-16, 7-12 KCAC) got no closer than five (58-53) the rest of the game.

 

 KWU shot 37 percent from the field (24 of 65) for the game, just 4 of 20 from 3-point range. Miller scored nine points while Flowers and Kayla Kivinski (SR/Port Richey, Fla.) finished with eight points each and Heinen seven.

 

The shooting woes didn't completely surprise Showman.

 

"We'd had a heck of a run where we'd shot a really good percentage and I knew that rubber band was getting pretty tight," he said. "I think it finally snapped tonight. It was good to do it at home and still be able to get the win.

 

"I'm just so darn proud of this team. They find a way to win."

The Coyotes prevailed because of their defensive play as they forced 24 Ottawa turnovers that led to 26 points and had 18 steals. Wesleyan had 15 turnovers.

 

Ottawa shot 39.6 percent (19 of 48), but the Braves managed to stay close thanks to 8 of 17 shooting from 3-point range. Mariah Grizzle and Jenna Kramer led the Braves with 13 points apiece.

 

"I thought we defended fairly well," Showman said. "Anytime you hold a college basketball team to 53 points you're probably going to win more than you lose. I really loved the way our kids went after them and got stops when we needed them."

 

Showman said he expected his team to struggle early on without Bradford, who was wearing a walking boot to protect her ailing ankle.

 

"First game without Haleigh we knew there'd be a little bit of a slow start," he said. "I didn't think it was going to be 30-10 in the first quarter. We needed to find some things out and there'd be a better flow throughout the game. I thought we did that."

 

Wesleyan plays Friends at 5 p.m. Saturday at Mabee Arena in its next contest. The Falcons (12-8, 12-13) lost to McPherson 74-63 Wednesday in McPherson.